Evaluation of oral health in a community of native brazilians of the umutina reservation, Mato Grosso State

Fundação do Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Autopercepção das condições de saúde bucal por idosos

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a autopercepção das condições de saúde bucal por idosos e analisar os fatores clínicos, subjetivos e sociodemográficos que interferem nessa percepção. MÉTODOS: Participaram do estudo 201 pessoas, dentadas, com 60 anos ou mais, funcionalmente independentes, que freqüentavam um centro de saúde localizado em Araraquara, SP, Brasil. Foi aplicado questionário com questões sobre as características sociodemográficas da amostra, a autopercepção da condição bucal e o índice Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Realizou-se exame clínico para determinar a prevalência das principais doenças bucais. Foram usados testes estatísticos para determinar a associação das variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas e do índice GOHAI com a autopercepção da condição bucal e a identificação dos preditores da auto-avaliação. RESULTADOS: O exame clínico revelou grande prevalência das principais doenças bucais, apesar de 42,7% das pessoas avaliarem sua condição bucal como regular. As variáveis associadas à auto-avaliação foram: classe social, índice de GOHAI, dentes cariados e indicados para extração. A análise multivariada mostrou que os preditores da auto-avaliação foram o GOHAI, os dentes com extração indicada e o índice Community Periodontal Index and Treatment Needs. Esses preditores explicaram 30% da variabilidade da auto-avaliação. CONCLUSÕES: Concluiu-se que a percepção da saúde bucal teve pouca influência nas condições clínicas, mostrando ser necessário desenvolver ações preventivas e educativas para a população.

Inequalities in access to education and healthcare

The burden of disease is borne by those who suffer as patients but also by society at large, including health service providers. That burden is felt most severely in parts of the world where there is no infrastructure, or foreseeable prospects of any, to change the status quo without external support. Poverty, disease and inequality pervade all the activities of daily living in low-income regions and are inextricably linked. External interventions may not be the most appropriate way to impact on this positively in all circumstances, but targeted programmes to build social capital, within and by countries, are more likely to be sustainable. By these means, basic oral healthcare, underpinned by the primary healthcare approach, can be delivered to more equitably address needs and demands. Education is fundamental to building knowledge-based economies but is often lacking in such regions even at primary and secondary level. Provision of private education at tertiary level may also introduce its own inequities. Access to distance learning and community-based practice opens opportunities and is more likely to encourage graduates to work in similar areas. Recruitment of faculty from minority groups provides role models for students from similar backgrounds but all faculty staff must be involved in supporting and mentoring students from marginalized groups to ensure their retention. The developed world has to act responsibly in two crucial areas: first, not to exacerbate the shortage of skilled educators and healthcare workers in emerging economies by recruiting their staff; second, they must offer educational opportunities at an economic rate. Governments need to lead on developing initiatives to attract, support and retain a competent workforce.

La salud bucal en la percepción del adolescente

Objective An individual does not always experience the best health and vitality indexes during her/his adolescence. This study evaluated young people's awareness of their oral health and the factors involved in dental maintenance and promotion Material and Method Adolescents (n=493) from the Mirim Foundation in the town of Araçatuba in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were asked to fill in a semi-structured questionnaire. Results 68.4 % of the youngsters interviewed regarded oral health as referring to hygiene and 16.2 % to physical appearance; 53.6 % of the group perceived their oral health to be good and 24 % optimum. 90.1 % indicated oral hygiene when asked how oral health could be ensured; however, only 4.8 % mentioned brushing their tongues. Physical appearance (62.9 %) was one of the main reasons stated as being important for teeth. A statistically significant relationship was observed between perception of regular dental and mouth health and having visited the dentist at least six months beforehand (x2=30.75; p<0.05). Conclusion Even though the youngsters had a general idea regarding their oral health, its maintenance and promotion, better information should be made available regarding such topics and be approached through health education so that these adolescents can have good oral health for the rest of their lives, as well as becoming knowledge multiplying agents for those who do not have access to the same information.

Diabetes mellitus and oral mucosa alterations: Prevalence and risk factors

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of oral mucosa alterations in patients with type 2 diabetes and to identify possible risk factors related to oral mucosa alterations.Methods: 146 patients with type 2 diabetes and 111 age-and gender-matched healthy controls subjects were consecutively recruited from Araraquara School of Dentistry to answer a structured questionnaire designed to collect demographic data as well as current and former history of diabetes. Clinical examination of the oral mucosa was carried out by a stomatologist.Results: A higher prevalence of oral mucosa alterations was found in patients with diabetes than in patients without diabetes (p < 0.001), with significant difference to development conditions (p < 0.0001), potentially malignant disorders (p < 0.0001) and fungal infections (p < 0.05). In the multiple logistic regression, diabetes (odds ratio 9.9 IC 5.11-19.16) and smoking habit (odds ratio 3.17 IC 1.42-7.12) increased the odds of oral mucosa alterations significantly.Conclusions: Patients with diabetes mellitus not only showed an increased prevalence of oral mucosa alterations but also a significant percentage of potentially malignant disorders. These findings elucidate the necessity of regular clinical examination to ensure early diagnosis and prompt management of oral mucosa lesions in patients with diabetes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health related quality of life among the elderly: a population-based study using SF-36 survey

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Prevalence of enamel white spots and risk factors in children up to 36 months old

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of enamel white spots and the quality of oral hygiene in children up to 36 months old, in municipalities with different fluoride levels in the water supply, analyzing the contribution of several variables. After approval of the Ethics Committee, the parents signed an informed consent form and were interviewed about their educational level, economic classification of the family, nursing habits, use of toothpaste, access to dental service and other information. The children were clinically examined using the same codes and criteria established by the WHO (World Health Organization) and ADA (American Dental Association). The data were processed and analyzed with the Epi-info software program, version 3.2, and Microsoft Excel. Fisher's exact test (p<0.05) was applied to assess the association among the variables. The enamel white spot prevalence was 30.8% and the age group, duration of the bedtime milk feeding habit, age of initial practice of oral hygiene and presence of caries lesions with cavitation were considered statistically significant with regard to enamel white spot prevalence (p < 0.05). No association was found between oral hygiene quality and the study variables. © 2009 Sociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa Odontológica.

Brazilian dental students' intentions and motivations towards their professional career

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Factors associated with the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among elderly residents of São Paulo city, Brazil

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among the elderly. The survey analyzed data from 872 elderly people in São Paulo, Brazil, through a cluster sampling, stratified according to education and income. A Poisson multiple regression model checked for the existence of factors associated with hypertension. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension among the elderly was 46.9%. Variables associated with hypertension were self-rated health, alcohol consumption, gender, and hospitalization in the last year, regardless of age. The three most common measures taken to control hypertension, but only rarely, are oral medication, routine salt-free diet and physical activity. Lifestyle and socioeconomic status did not affect the practice of control, but knowledge about the importance of physical activity was higher among those older people with higher education and greater income. The research suggests that health policies that focus on primary care to encourage lifestyle changes among the elderly are necessary.

Individual and contextual factors related to dental caries in underprivileged Brazilian adolescents

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Oral impacts on the daily performance of Brazilians assessed using a sociodental approach: analyses of national data

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between oral diseases and their impact on the daily performance of adult and elderly Brazilians, verify the association of oral diseases with socioeconomic and demographic features, and compare the standard estimate of need with the sociodental assessment of these same needs. The authors evaluated data from 17,398 Brazilians aged between 35-44 years and 65-74 years, taken from the cross-sectional Brazilian Oral Health Survey (Saúde Bucal Brasil - SBBrasil). Regression models were applied to assess associations among impacts on daily performance and income, schooling, gender, region, use of dental services, health perception and dental disease status. McNemar’s test was applied to compare standard versus impact-related estimates of need. The prevalence ratio of these impacts was associated with the sociodemographic versus health perceptions (p < 0.001) of adults and the elderly. Adults also had impacts associated with loss of periodontal attachment (p < 0.001). The prevalence of normative needs was 95.39% for adults and 99.76% for the elderly, whereas the impact-related estimate of need was 50.92% and 43.71%, respectively. The impacted-related approach had a statistically significant association with the normative estimate of need (p < 0.001). This study showed a relationship between oral impact on daily performance of adults and educational level. Sociodemographic features were also related to the impacts on both adults and the elderly, and to health perception. The impacts among the adults were related to the loss of periodontal attachment. In addition, the authors found a sizable difference between the standard versus the sociodental approach, in that the sociodental assessment needs were lower than the needs identified by the standard estimate of need.

Individual and contextual factors related to dental caries in underprivileged Brazilian adolescents

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Socioeconomic and demographic profile of leprosy carriers attended in nursing consultations

A hanseníase é doença infecto-contagiosa para a qual, além das condições individuais, outros fatores relacionados aos níveis de endemia e às condições socioeconômicas desfavoráveis influem no risco de adoecer. Objetivou-se reconhecer o perfil socioeconômico e demográfico e o grau de incapacidade instalado dos portadores de hanseníase, atendidos no Centro de Saúde Escola de Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil. Fizeram parte do estudo 37 pacientes. Os dados foram obtidos por meio do instrumento de consulta de enfermagem. Os resultados mostraram predominância de indivíduos com união estável (78%), brancos (92%), com idade entre 30 e 49 anos (51%), com baixo nível de escolaridade e com renda familiar per capita menor que um salário mínimo. Mais de um terço dos pacientes investigados (35%) apresentavam algum grau de incapacidade física. A associação do baixo perfil socioeconômico com a presença de incapacidades físicas imprime maior vulnerabilidade a essa população, podendo impactar negativamente a sua qualidade de vida.

Transtornos mentais comuns e uso de psicofármacos: impacto das condições socioeconômicas

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a influência das condições socioeconômicas na associação entre transtornos mentais comuns, uso de serviços de saúde e de psicofármacos. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal populacional conduzido na cidade de Botucatu, SP, com amostragem probabilística, estratificada e por conglomerados. Foram realizadas entrevistas domiciliares com 1.023 sujeitos de 15 anos ou mais de idade, entre 2001 e 2002. Transtorno mental comum foi avaliado utilizando o Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). O uso de serviços foi investigado com relação à quinzena anterior à entrevista e uso de psicotrópicos, nos três dias anteriores. Utilizou-se regressão logística para análise multivariável, considerando o efeito do desenho. RESULTADOS: No total da amostra, 13,4% (IC 95%: 10,7;16,0) procuraram serviços de saúde na quinzena anterior à entrevista. A procura de serviços de saúde se associou ao sexo feminino (OR=2,0) e à presença de transtorno mental comum (OR=2,2). Na amostra 13,3% (IC 95%: 9,2;17,5) referiram ter usado ao menos um psicotrópico, destacando-se os antidepressivos (5,0%) e os benzodiazepínicos (3,1%). Na análise multivariável, sexo feminino e presença de transtorno mental comum mantiveram-se associados ao uso de benzodiazepínicos. Renda per capita mostrou-se direta e independentemente associada ao uso de psicofármacos, conforme aumento da renda. CONCLUSÕES: Menor renda associou-se à presença de transtorno mental comum, mas não ao uso de psicotrópicos. A associação entre transtorno mental comum e uso de psicotrópicos e maior renda reforça a hipótese da existência de iniqüidades no acesso à assistência médica na população estudada.

Socio-behavioral factors influence prevalence and severity of dental caries in children with primary dentition

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)