OBJECTIVE: To analyze factors associated with pain symptoms and quality of life in dentists of Teresina - PI, Brazil. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 175 dentists registered with the Regional Council of Dentistry-PI from March to May, 2007. We used a multidimensional questionnaire containing sociodemographic (age, sex) and professional information (time working in profession, work schedule) to characterize dentists. The McGILL Protocol of Painful Symptoms was used to evaluate the presence of pain. The WHOQOL-Bref was used to assess quality of life through physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: Pain symptoms were reported in 69.7% of individuals, being observed in 77.3% of women and 60.3% of men. The body regions with more prevalent presence of pain were the neck (69.2%) and lumbar (69.7%) regions. The dentists had high levels of self-perceived satisfaction of quality of life and health. Most subjects reported their quality of life as very good (96%), and only 16.6% reported dissatisfaction with their health. The domains and physical environment of the WHOQOL-Bref showed lower scores than the psychological and social domains. Through multivariate analysis by logistic regression after adjustment for the study, only pain symptoms (OR = 2.51, 95% 1.21-5.21) remained associated with the quality of life of these professionals.
Occupational Health; Quality of life; Dentists; Pain
