Curative procedures of oral health and structural characteristics of primary dental care

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if the provision of clinical dental care, by means of the main curative procedures recommended in Primary Health Care, is associated with team structural characteristics, considering the presence of a minimum set of equipment, instrument, and supplies in Brazil’s primary health care services. METHODS: A cross-sectional exploratory study based on data collected from 18,114 primary healthcare services with dental health teams in Brazil, in 2014. The outcome was created from the confirmation of five clinical procedures performed by the dentist, accounting for the presence of minimum equipment, instrument, and supplies to carry them out. Covariables were related to structural characteristics. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to obtain crude and adjusted prevalence ratios, with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 1,190 (6.5%) dental health teams did not present the minimum equipment to provide clinical dental care and only 2,498 (14.8%) had all the instrument and supplies needed and provided the five curative procedures assessed. There was a positive association between the outcome and the composition of dental health teams, higher workload, performing analysis of health condition, and monitoring of oral health indicators. Additionally, the dental health teams that planned and programmed oral health actions with the primary care team monthly provided the procedures more frequently. Dentists with better employment status, career plans, graduation in public health or those who underwent permanent education activities provided the procedures more frequently. CONCLUSIONS: A relevant number of Primary Health Care services did not have the infrastructure to provide clinical dental care. However, better results were found in dental health teams with oral health technicians, with higher workload and that plan their activities, as well as in those that employed dentists with better working relationships, who had dentists with degrees in public health and who underwent permanent education activities

Eça de Queiroz na Província de São Pedro

Este artigo focaliza a recepção da obra do romancista português no âmbito da Província de São Pedro, revista de caráter interdisciplinar, que circulou no Rio Grande do Sul entre as décadas de 40 e 50 do século passado. Nessa perspectiva, são recuperados e analisados, de um lado, os ensaios críticos divulgados sobre a narrativa e o teatro de Eça de Queiroz, e, de outro, um conjunto de depoimentos prestado por escritores brasileiros, que salientam a qualidade de sua obra e registram a sua influência no romance produzido no Brasil

Tooth loss condition and social discrimination in brazilian healthcare services

Objective: To explore factors associated with social discrimination against users of health services regarding dental aesthetic conditions. Methods: Based on a Brazilian National Survey, multivariate Poisson regressions with robust variance were used to explore the association of outcome discrimination related to different motivations in health services and exposure to sociodemographic and dental variables. Effect modification by complete prosthesis wearing was assessed. Results: Among the 60,200 people interviewed, 11.5% reported being discriminated against in health services. For women, a higher prevalence of discrimination was found among those in the age group of 30–44 years. For both sexes, discrimination was associated with black and brown skin color. Regarding dental characteristics, the higher the tooth loss was, the higher the prevalence of discrimination; however, complete prosthesis wearing presented as a protective factor. Social discrimination was the major motivation for reported discrimination and presented higher prevalence in edentulous individuals who did not wear prosthesis. Conclusion: Dental loss may lead to self-reported discrimination in health care services. The prevalence of discrimination increases when tooth loss increases, and the major reason associated is social discrimination

Atendimento odontológico na primeira infância no Brasil: da política pública à evidência

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether characteristics of health services, oral health team and dental surgeon are associated with provision of dental care for children up to five years old in Brazilian Primary Health Care. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with data from 18,114 oral health teams in Brazil, evaluated in 2014 by the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care. The study outcome was the proven performance of dental procedures on children up to five years old. Statistical analysis was performed by Poisson regression based on a hierarchical model, where the first level was composed of service organization variables, the intermediate level composed of unit planning characteristics, and the proximal level composed of variables related to dental surgeon characteristics. RESULTS: Prevalence of dental care performed by oral health teams was 80.9% (n = 14,239). Scheduled appointments and activities of education in health were positively associated with the outcome, as well as planning and programming activities for the population and monitoring and analysis of oral health indicators. Complementary training in public health, continuing education activities and career plan were variables related to dental surgeons associated with the service provision. CONCLUSIONS: One fifth of health units in Brazil do not provide dental care for children in early childhood. Health units’ well-structured organization and planning protocols are associated with the provision of this service, as well as better employment relationship and graduate activities for dental surgeons.OBJETIVO: Avaliar se características dos serviços de saúde, da equipe de saúde bucal e do cirurgião-dentista estão associadas à prestação de atendimento odontológico a crianças de até cinco anos de idade na atenção básica brasileira. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, com dados de 18.114 equipes de saúde bucal do Brasil avaliadas pelo Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade em 2014. O desfecho do estudo foi a realização comprovada de procedimentos odontológicos em crianças de até cinco anos de idade. A análise estatística foi feita por regressão de Poisson com base em um modelo hierárquico, sendo o primeiro nível composto por variáveis de organização do serviço, o nível intermediário por características de planejamento da unidade e o nível proximal por variáveis relacionadas ao cirurgião-dentista. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de realização do atendimento odontológico pelas equipes de saúde bucal foi de 80,9% (n = 14.239). Consultas agendadas e atividades de educação em saúde se associaram positivamente ao desfecho, bem como atividades de planejamento e programação para a população e o monitoramento e análise de indicadores de saúde bucal. Formação complementar em saúde pública, atividades de educação permanente e plano de carreira foram variáveis relacionadas aos cirurgiões-dentistas que se associaram à prestação do serviço. CONCLUSÕES: Um quinto das unidades de saúde do Brasil não realiza atendimento odontológico na primeira infância. Protocolos de organização e planejamento bem-estruturados nas unidades de saúde estão associados à realização desse atendimento, bem como melhores vínculos trabalhistas e atividades de pós-graduação para os cirurgiões-dentistas

Dental status, oral prosthesis and chewing ability in an adult and elderly population in southern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the factors associated with inadequate chewing in an adult and elderly population of a city in the southern region of Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on a population home-based inquiry (DCH-POP) in southern Brazil. Individuals were interviewed by trained interviewers to create a standardized procedure. In a pilot study, the Questionnaire of Human Communication Disorders (DCH-POP) was created and validated to identify selfreported speech and language, swallowing and hearing disorders. The outcome was dichotomized into either having adequate chewing or not, as assessed by a series of questions about chewing ability. Analyses of absolute and relative frequencies were measured according to the studied variables. A Poisson regression was applied at a significance level of 5% RESULTS: A total of 1,246 people were interviewed. Inadequate chewing was found in 52 (5.6%) individuals, with a higher prevalence in the elderly (11.8%) than in adults (5.2%). In the final model, the following factors were associated with inadequate chewing: being 61 years of age or older (prevalence ratio or PR=9.03; 95% CI: 1.20-67.91), loss of teeth and use of unadjusted prosthesis (PR=3.50; 95% CI: 1.54-7.95), preference for foods of soft consistency (PR=9.34; 95% CI:4.66-8.70) and difficulty in nasal breathing (PR=2.82; 95% CI: 1.31-6.06). CONCLUSION: Age, oral health status through dental prosthesis, preference for foods of soft consistency and difficulty breathing through the nose were factors associated with chewing inability in adults and the elderly

Dental status, oral prosthesis and chewing ability in an adult and elderly population in southern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the factors associated with inadequate chewing in an adult and elderly population of a city in the southern region of Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on a population home-based inquiry (DCH-POP) in southern Brazil. Individuals were interviewed by trained interviewers to create a standardized procedure. In a pilot study, the Questionnaire of Human Communication Disorders (DCH-POP) was created and validated to identify self-reported speech and language, swallowing and hearing disorders. The outcome was dichotomized into either having adequate chewing or not, as assessed by a series of questions about chewing ability. Analyses of absolute and relative frequencies were measured according to the studied variables. A Poisson regression was applied at a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: A total of 1,246 people were interviewed. Inadequate chewing was found in 52 (5.6%) individuals, with a higher prevalence in the elderly (11.8%) than in adults (5.2%). In the final model, the following factors were associated with inadequate chewing: being 61 years of age or older (prevalence ratio or PR=9.03; 95% CI: 1.20-67.91), loss of teeth and use of unadjusted prosthesis (PR=3.50; 95% CI: 1.54-7.95), preference for foods of soft consistency (PR=9.34; 95% CI:4.66-8.70) and difficulty in nasal breathing (PR=2.82; 95% CI: 1.31-6.06). CONCLUSION: Age, oral health status through dental prosthesis, preference for foods of soft consistency and difficulty breathing through the nose were factors associated with chewing inability in adults and the elderly