The utility of network analysis in the context of Indigenous Australian oral health literacy

The study of oral health literacy (OHL) is likely to gain new and interesting insights with the use of network analysis, a powerful analytical tool that allows the investigation of complex systems of relationships. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between oral health literacy and oral health-related factors in a sample of Indigenous Australian adults using a network analysis approach.Gustavo Hermes Soares, Pedro Henrique Ribeiro Santiago, Edgard Michel-Crosato, Lisa Jamieso

Craniometric variation among Brazilian and Scottish populations: a physical anthropology approach

The present investigation intended to compare the craniometric variations of two samples of different nationalities (Brazilian and Scottish). Materials and methods: The Brazilian sample consisted of 100 modern complete skulls, including 53 female skulls and 47 male skulls, and the Scottish sample consisted of 100 historical skulls (61 males, 39 females) and 36 mandibles (24 males, 12 females). The cranial measurement protocol was composed of 40 measurements, 11 bilateral and 29 unilateral, and the measurement protocol of the mandible was composed of 15 measurements, with six that were bilateral and nine that were unique. The comparative analysis of the metric variability between the two samples was performed using the means and medians analysis, the t-test, the Wilcoxon test, and the coefficient of variance, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The results showed that, among the 72 analysed variables, 44 measurements (61.11%) presented statistical differences between the samples. The Scottish skull tends to have a cranial length (GOL diff=5.53), breadth (XCB diff=3.78) and height (NPH diff=5.33) greater than the Brazilian skulls, and the Scottish mandibles tend to show a higher mandibular ramus height (MRH diff=9.25), a higher mandibular body height (HMB diff=6.37) and a larger bigonial breadth (BGB diff=5.29) than the Brazilians. The discriminant analysis of the 51 cranial measurements and 21 mandibular measurements showed a variation of the percentage of accuracy between 46.3- 83.8%. Conclusion: The metric analysis demonstrated that there is variability between the two samples studied (61.11%), but a concrete cause cannot be determined considering the multifactorial aspects of the variations of form and size

Relationships between spirituality and religiosity in dentistry academics in the state of Bahia

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to evaluate the correlation between religiosity and spirituality in dental students in the state of Bahia. Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out with 266 dental students from the state of Bahia. To measure religious involvement, the Duke Religious Index (DUREL) was used, while the Spirituality Self Rating Scale (SSRS) was used for spirituality. Results: A total of 266 students were evaluated, with a mean age of 32 years (±11.9), most of them female (62.4%), of self-reported race/color (52.3%), with an income greater than three minimum wages (57.1%) and studying/working from the sixth to the tenth semester (41.0%). The correlations evidenced can be classified as weak for organizational religiosity (OR) (r = 0.406), moderate for non-organizational religiosity (RNO) (r = 0.589) and strong for intrinsic religiosity (RI) (r = 0.677). In the multivariate model, the ORN and RI dimensions proved to be predictors of spirituality, and the elevation of the former implies a consequent increase in spirituality. Conclusion: It is concluded that the RNO and RI dimensions are positively correlated with religiosity

Discriminant analysis of mandibular measurements for the estimation of sex in a modern Brazilian sample.

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of mandibular measurements for sex determination in a Brazilian population. The sample was composed of 100 mandibles, of which 53 were female and 47 were male, and the average age was 57.03 years. The mandible measurement protocol was composed of 15 measurements, of which six were bilateral and nine were unique. Mandibles were directly measured using a digital caliper and a protractor. The descriptive analysis of the present study revealed higher mean values for male mandibles compared to those for female mandibles with the exception of the left mandibular angle. Among the 21 measures analyzed in this group, 15 were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Univariate discriminant analyses produced a mean percentage of correct predictions that varied between 49 and 79%. The association of variables increased the percentage of correct prediction of sex to vary from 76 to 86%. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that the best variable for estimating sex was bigonial breadth (BGB; area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.764) followed by the right maximum ramus height (MRHr; AUC = 0.763). A reference table for estimating sex in a Brazilian population using mandible measurements was developed based on the ROC curve analysis. Mandibular measures provide a simple and reliable method for sex discrimination in Brazilian adults due to the sexual dimorphism revealed by analysis of the metric variables and the satisfactory results demonstrated by discriminant formulas, ROC curve analysis, and the reference table

Prevalência de sintomas osteomusculares em estudantes de odontologia e docentes da Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, campus Jequié

Os cirurgiões-dentistas são profissionais que vem se destacando entre as profissões da saúde quando se diz respeito aos distúrbios osteomusculares por movimentos repetitivos. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar a ocorrência destas dores osteomusculares nos docentes e discentes do curso de odontologia da Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB) e comparar estes grupos. O estudo foi realizado utilizando o Questionário Nórdico de Sintomas Osteomusculares (QNSO), onde estão presentes perguntas específicas sobre ergonomia, prevalência e frequência de Dor/Desconforto. A amostra foi composta de 17 docentes e 102 discentes que realizam práticas clínicas no curso de odontologia desta universidade. Os resultados mostram que 82% dos discentes e 71% dos doscentes possuem alguma dor ou desconforto osteomuscular nas diferentes regiões do corpo. Os discentes apresentaram maior prevalência osteomuscular do que os doscentes. Os discentes possuem, também, um maior conhecimento sobre a origem e desenvolvimento da doença, porem não realizam a prevenção. Este trabalho não conseguiu aferir se os discentes estão melhorando ou piorando em relação as dores osteomusculares durante sua formação e posteriormente na carreira profissional. Mas aponta que o conhecimento da ergonomia, mais atividades físicas regulares podem mudar uma situação de dores osteomusculares desfavorável, para uma situação favorável destes profissionais

Social and dental status along the life course and oral health impacts in adolescents: a population-based birth cohort

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Harmful social conditions in early life might predispose individuals to dental status which in turn may impact on adolescents' quality of life.</p> <p>Aims</p> <p>To estimate the prevalence of oral health impacts among 12 yr-old Brazilian adolescents (<it>n </it>= 359) and its association with life course socioeconomic variables, dental status and dental services utilization in a population-based birth cohort in Southern Brazil.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Exploratory variables were collected at birth, at 6 and 12 yr of age. The Oral Impacts on Daily Performances index (OIDP) was collected in adolescence and it was analyzed as a ranked outcome (OIDP from 0 to 9). Unadjusted and adjusted multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance was performed guided by a theoretical determination model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The response rate was of 94.4% (<it>n </it>= 339). The prevalence of OIDP = 1 was 30.1% (CI95%25.2;35.0) and OIDP ≥ 2 was 28.0% (CI95%23.2;32.8). The most common daily activity affected was eating (44.8%), follow by cleaning the mouth and smiling (15.6%, and 15.0%, respectively). In the final model mother schooling and mother employment status in early cohort participant's life were associated with OIDP in adolescence. As higher untreated dental caries at age 6 and 12 years, and the presence of dental pain, gingival bleeding and incisal crowing in adolescence as higher the OIDP score. On the other hand, dental fluorosis was associated with low OIDP score.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings highlight the importance of adolescent's early life social environmental as mother schooling and mother employment status and the early and later dental status on the adolescent's quality of life regardless family income and use of dental services.</p

Relationship Between Orofacial Pain And Absenteeism Among Workers In Southern Brazil

Aim: To verify the relationship between orofacial pain and absenteeism in workers of slaughter and meat processing industries in the Southern region of Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study, with the random sample of 401 workers of slaughter and meat processing industries in the Southern region of Brazil, was carried out. A questionnaire referred to the situation of absenteeism caused by nine different types of orofacial pain and also the amount of time the employee was kept from work. Results: Only 60 workers (15%) reported having missed work due to orofacial pain in the six months prior to the study. The prevalence of absenteeism resulting from orofacial pain was of 15%. The types of orofacial pain that resulted in absenteeism were: spontaneous toothache (9.7 %); toothache caused by cold or hot liquids or by sweet foodstuff (6.5%) and pain around and behind the eyes (3.2%). There was a predominance of absenteeismin half and full work shifts for the types of orofacial pain experienced. Associations between absenteeism from induced toothache and gender (p < 0.05), absenteeism and spontaneous toothache and family income (p = 0.011), and between absenteeism and the self awareness of their oral health condition, as well as the nine types of orofacial pain (p < 0.001) were observed. Conclusions: The prevalence of absenteeism as a result of orofacial pain was low.815054Gift, H.C., Reisine, S.T., Larach, D.C., The social impact of dental problems and visits (1992) Am J Public Health, 82, pp. 1663-1668Berndt, E.R., Bailit, H.L., Keller, M.B., Verner, J.C., Finkelstein, S.N., Health care use and at-work productivity among employees with mental disorders (2000) Health Aff, 19, pp. 244-256Midorikawa, E.T., (2000) Odontology in worker's health as a new professional specialty: definition of the activity field and functions of the surgeon dentist in worker's health team, p. 337. , [Doctoral Tesis]. São Paulo: Faculdade de Odontologia of Universidade de São PauloHollister, M.C., Weintraub, J.A., The association of oral status with systemic health, quality of life, and economic productivity (1993) J Dent Educ, 57, pp. 901-912Schou, L., Oral health promotion at worksites (1989) Int Dent J, 39, pp. 122-128Locker, D., Grushka, M., The impact of dental and facial pain (1987) J Dent Res, 66, pp. 1414-1417Locker, D., Grushka, M., Prevalence of oral and facial pain and discomfort: preliminary results of a mail survey (1987) Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 15, pp. 169-172Hooper, H.A., Dental services in industry: observations on their effects in the reduction on absenteeism (1942) Industrial Medicine, 11, pp. 157-162Bailit, H., Beazoglou, T., Hoffman, W., (1982) Work loss and dental disease. Report to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, , University of Connecticut Health CenterMatos, D.L., Lima Costa, M.F., Guerra, H.L., Marcenes, W., Projeto Bambuí: avaliação de serviços odontológicos privados, públicos e de sindicato (2002) Rev Saúde Pública, 36, pp. 237-243Macfarlane, T.V., Blinkhorn, A.S., Davies, R.M., Kincey, J., Worthington, H.V., Orofacial pain in the community: prevalence and associated impact (2002) Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 30, pp. 52-60Reisine, S.T., Miller, J., A longitudinal study of work loss related to dental diseases (1995) Soc Sci Med, 21 (12), pp. 1309-1314Jaafar, N., Razak, I.A., Zain, R.B., The social impact of oral and facial pain in an industrial population (1989) Ann Acad Med, 18, pp. 553-555Naito, M., Yuasa, H., Nomura, Y., Nakayama, T., Hamajima, N., Hanada, N., Oral health status and health-related quality of life: a systematic review (2006) J Oral Sci, 48, pp. 1-7Reisine, S.T., Dental disease and work loss (1984) J Dent Res, 63, pp. 1158-1161Reisine, S.T., Dental health and public policy: the social impact of dental disease (1985) Am J Public Health, 75, pp. 27-30Reisine, S.T., The impact of dental conditions on social functioning and the quality of life (1988) Annu Rev Public Health, 9, pp. 1-19Johnson, N.W., Glick, M., Mbuguye, T.N., Oral health and general health (2006) Adv Dent Res, 19, pp. 118-12