Impact of Food Insecurity on Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Brick Kiln Workers of Rayagada District, Odisha, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Food insecurity is a pressing public health issue that adversely affects both general and oral health, particularly among marginalised groups. Brick kiln workers, who are part of the informal labour sector, often lack access to adequate healthcare and nutrition. However, limited data exist on how food insecurity influences their Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). Aim: To assess the impact of food insecurity on OHRQoL among brick kiln workers in Derigaon Gram Panchayat, Rayagada District, Odisha, India. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,240 adult brick kiln workers selected through multi-stage stratified random sampling. A structured, pretested, and Odia-translated questionnaire was utilised, incorporating the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP), and sociodemographic details. Descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Pearson’s correlation were applied for data analysis, with a significance threshold of p<0.05. Results: A high prevalence of food insecurity was observed in the study population. ANOVA revealed significant differences across FIES categories in OHIP domains such as psychosocial discomfort, physical disability, and psychological disability (p<0.05). Pearson’s correlation showed weak but significant associations between food insecurity and functional limitation (r=0.057, p=0.045), physical pain (r=0.075, p=0.008), and psychological disability (r=-0.084, p=0.003). The overall OHIP score did not significantly correlate with FIES. Conclusion: Food insecurity significantly influenced several aspects of OHRQoL among brick kiln workers. Integrated strategies targeting both nutrition and oral health are essential for improving outcomes in these vulnerable labour populations.