Oral health and quality of life correlated in a population of female prisoners in the city of Latina

For many years the WHO has dealt with the issue of prisoners health through the publication of specific reports that outline a picture made up of a rather young population suffering mainly from psychic, infectious and oral diseases. Women in prison often come from unfavorable environments and many of them have suffered psycologic problem,from alcohol or drug addiction and inadequate health careprior to detention. and bad condition of oral cavity are nothingmore than the direct consequence. Moreover this populationpresents a greater risk of traumas of the complex gold-facial,due to the health implications of the frequent episodes of violenceand abuse that they are found. The aim of the study isto pay particular attention to the specific health needs of theinmates and to guarantee a system of promotion of sensitiveoral health, recognizing the opportunity to strengthen andsupport the care of one’s own person, promoting the recoveryof esteem and safety.Methods: The study took place at the Latina DistrictHouse “in which prisoners awaiting trial are present andthose sentenced to sentences of less than five years. Insidethe prison there are also 35 prisoners belonging to the highsecurity AS2 and AS3 circuit, traditionally dedicated to thedetainees belonging to organized terrorist and mafia groups.Three different questionnaires were used, administered ina face to face interview mode: EGOHI D II - Full StandardClinical Survey From 2007, which collects clinical data suchas CPI and DMFT; Questionnaire OHIP-14, which assessesthe quality of life in relation to oral health and the EGOHIDAdult Questionnaire which collects data on various habitsand lifestyles. The informed consent was made verbally foreach detainee who took part in the visit, and for completingthe questionnaires.Results: The total female sample is 26 inmates. The agerange is between 20 and 79 years with an average age of 42and 96.4% is a smoker. 96.2% of the prisoners (25) are Italiannationals, 3.8% (one inmate) of foreign nationality. The samplepresents a DMFT of 13.84 and poor management of softtissue presenting generalized loss of attack in 61.6% of cases,a plaque index corresponding to 3 in 65.5% and accumulationof generalized tarate in 57, 7% of cases. The data related to theOHIP-14 show the presence in more than 50% of the sampleof painful points inside the mouth, difficulty in relaxing andchewing. In fact, in 62% of the cases the last dental visit wasrequested for an emergency intervention.Conclus ionS: Very often visit of the oral cavity is able tointercept situations of abuse and violence otherwise silenced.Good oral health also makes it possible to communicate effectivelyand relate positively with the community once the sentencehas ended, also in relation to a potential job placement,possibly incurring a minor percentage in abuses and acts ofpsycho-physical violence. For this reason, the promotion ofa management and prevention campaign in the field of oralhealth is desirable to improve the living conditions during andafter the period of detention.