Behavioral/Mood Disorders and Opioid-Drug Use in Chicago Community Areas Associated with Oral Health and Oral Surgery Need

Abstract

Introduction: We hypothesize gender, race in Chicago’s community areas (CAs) associated significantly with mood and depressive-behavior disorders, drug related hospitalizations (MDD/DRH) and oral health problems and need for oral surgery services. Methods: We reviewed 18,846 dental records (AxiUm) sorted by zip codes associated with CAs. “Med Alerts” and 185 (14 types) neurotropic medications identified MDD/DRH. Chicago’s Health Atlas 2.0, 77 CAs provided age-adjusted prevalence rates for 29 MDD/DRH related variables, with ORs at 95% confidence limit. Linear regression and relative risk (RR) predicted racial and gender associations for MDD/DRH and opioid prescriptions sites (DEA-2017+ARCOS database). We also tested significance at 95% CI for residents from 16 CAs for oral health association with high MDD/DRH probability by counting decay, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT), bleed on touch (BT), periodontal clinical attachment loss and use of oral surgery services. Results: CAs significantly associated to MDD/DRH variables. MDD/DRH and opioid use were also significantly associated to non-Hispanic Black (NHB) > other persons. NHB from specific geographic CAs showed ANOVA’s significant probability with OR (at 95% CI) and RRs for behavioral disorder indicators. Significantly (p<0.0001) oral health problems and need for oral surgery service consulting associated with medication users and MDD/DRH subjects identified by gender (F>M) and race/ethnicity (NHB>other). Conclusion: Limitations included self-reporting and reliance on dental college populations although we showed statistically significant odds ratios and relative risk for MDD/DRH related to race and gender’s oral health issues and oral surgery needs to suggest a broader role.