Tobacco Use, Oral Health Behavior, and Oral Health-related Quality of Life among Seafarers in Chennai – A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Seafarers face unique occupational stressors that increase tobacco use, adversely affecting oral health and quality of life. Limited data exist from Indian ports, particularly Chennai. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 seafarers using a structured questionnaire. Data on sociodemographics, tobacco use, and oral health behaviours were collected. Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Nicotine dependence was measured using the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied; P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence rate of smoking tobacco use among seafarers was 79%, with moderate nicotine dependence being the most common (38%). Smokeless tobacco use was reported by 15%, all with low to moderate dependence. Age showed no significant correlation with smoking FTND scores (ρ = 0.08, P = 0.42) but was positively correlated with smokeless FTND-ST scores (ρ = 0.21, P = 0.03). Associations between tobacco use (both smoking and smokeless) and self-assessed oral health were not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). The mean OHIP-14 score was 8.01 ± 3.0, suggesting a low impact on daily life and generally good OHRQoL. Conclusion: The study found high tobacco use among seafarers, with moderate nicotine dependence being common. However, no significant associations were observed between tobacco use and self-assessed oral health. These findings highlight the need for targeted preventive strategies and workplace policies in the shipping industry to reduce tobacco consumption and promote better oral health.