The SBBrasil 2010 Project (SBB10) (5, 12, 15-19, 35-44, and 65-74 years).

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os fatores associados ao uso de serviços odontológicos públicos pela população adulta brasileira. Foram utilizados dados coletados junto a 13.356 adultos (35-44 anos), em um inquérito epidemiológico de saúde bucal, de abrangência nacional (Projeto SB-Brasil 2003). A análise dos dados baseou-se na regressão de Poisson, que produziu estimativas de Razões de Prevalências como medida de associação. A análise dos dados mostrou que o uso de serviços odontológicos públicos por adultos esteve associada com: sexo feminino, baixa escolaridade e renda, residência nas regiões Nordeste e Sul e em municípios de menor porte, queixas de dor de dente ou gengival, necessidades de prótese parcial e total, maior quantidade de dentes permanentes demandando tratamento, procura por serviço motivada por algum problema bucal e avaliação do tratamento recebido como regular. Esses resultados mostraram que a população atendida pelo serviço público era menos favorecida socioeconomicamente e apresentava maiores necessidades de tratamento. A grande necessidade acumulada reflete o histórico apartamento desse segmento populacional da atenção à saúde bucal em nosso país e coloca um grande desafio ao SUS, considerando o seu papel na redução das desigualdades e de provimento de acesso universal ao cuidado integral.

BackgroundStudying the factors associated with the use of dental services can provide the necessary knowledge to understand the reasons why individuals seek out public healthcare services and the formulation of more appropriate public policies for the present-day reality.MethodsThis work was a cross-sectional epidemiological study consisting of a sample of adults found in a research databank concerning the conditions of the oral health of the population of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study examined both main oral health disorders and relevant socioeconomic aspects. The dependent variable was defined as the type of service used, categorized under public and private use. The independent variables were selected and grouped to be inserted in the analysis model according to an adaptation of the behavioral model described by Andersen and Davidson. A hierarchical model was used to analyze the data. The description of variables and bivariate analyses were performed in an attempt to verify possible associations. For each group of variables at each hierarchical level, the gross and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and the respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by means of logistic regression. The Complex Samples model from the SPSS statistics program, version 19.0, was used to analyze the sample framework.ResultsIn the final model, the factors associated with the use of public healthcare services by adults were directly related to the socioeconomic and demographic conditions of the individuals, including: being of a dark-skinned black race/color, belonging to families with more than four household residents and with a lower income level, residing in small towns, having more teeth that need treatment.ConclusionsAccording to the findings from this study, socioeconomic and demographic factors, as well as normative treatment needs, are associated with the use of public dental services.

BackgroundIt is important to assess context to explain inequalities in oral health, particularly with regard to the type of service used; thus, this study aimed to identify the social determinants of public dental service use by adults and to assess whether, beyond the level individual, existing inequalities are also expressed in the context in which individuals are embedded.MethodsA multilevel analysis with three levels of aggregation of variables was performed. The individual variables were derived from the database of the SB Minas Gerais project—a survey of oral health status of the population of Minas Gerais, a state of the Brazilian Southeast region. The variable at the neighborhood level came from the Census of 2010. The variables at the municipal level were obtained from available public databases relating to oral health services. At the municipal level, the Human Development Index (HDI) variable was chosen to represent quality of life in the municipalities.ResultsIn the final model, the following individual variables were associated with greater use of public dental services: lower income (PR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.53; 2.58), higher number of residents at home (PR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.11; 1.68) and higher number of teeth requiring treatment (PR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.20; 1.84). With regard to context variables, a poorer infrastructure (PR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.40; 0.96) leads to a lower use of public services.ConclusionThe use of public services is associated with family income, how this income is divided in households, the need for treatment presented by the individual and the organization of the existing oral health service infrastructure in the municipality.