Fatores associados à satisfação com serviços odontológicos entre idosos

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To analyze the prevalence of elderly users' satisfaction with dental care and associated factors. METHODS:Cross-sectional study conducted with 495 elderly individuals aged 65-74 years, without cognitive impairment according to the Mini-Mental State Examination, who used dental services of the municipality of Montes Claros (Southeastern Brazil) from 2008 to 2009. A two-stage cluster, complex probability sample was used. Trained/ calibrated professionals and students conducted tests and household interviews using handheld computers with software developed for this purpose. In the statistical analysis, with correction by design effect, PASW® Statistics 18.0 was utilized. To identify associations between satisfaction and the factors of interest, Poisson regression was conducted, estimating the prevalence ratio and the 95% confi dence interval (PR / 95%CI). RESULTS:Overall, 91.4% of the elderly were satisfi ed. Greater satisfaction was found among users of services of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUSBrazil's National Health Service) (PR = 1.07; 95%CI 1.01;1.12); those who had access to information on how to avoid oral problems (PR = 1.09; 95%CI 1.02;1.16); those who did not use medicines (PR = 1.05; 95%CI 1.00;1.10); and those who rated the appearance of their teeth and gums as excellent or good (PR = 1.13; 95%CI 1.00;1.28). CONCLUSIONS:The elderly who access the service offered by SUS have greater satisfaction with dental treatment, as well as those who do not use medicines, those with better self-perception of the aesthetics of teeth and gums and those who have more access to information about how to prevent oral problems. Therefore, health care policies in the SUS have been presenting positive results.

Insatisfação com os serviços odontológicos e fatores associados entre adultos

“…Public services (SUS) are ensuring high prevalence of satisfaction to their users (87%), close to that found among users of non-public services (90%), and this difference is not statistically significant. A previous study, conducted among the elderly, found greater satisfaction with dental services among users of SUS 30 services. These findings reflect the positive effects of public oral health care strategies.…”

“…Other studies also found no such association 25,30 . However, a study carried out among patients serviced at medical centers in Sweden aged 20 years or older revealed that individuals with lower educational level were more satisfied with the care given 31 .…”

Falta de acesso a informações sobre problemas bucais entre adultos: abordagem baseada no modelo teórico de alfabetização em saúde

“…A chance de falta de informação sobre saúde bucal entre os adultos que estavam insatisfeitos com os serviços odontológicos foi cerca de três vezes aquela observada entre os adultos que relataram satisfação com tais serviços. Essa associação já foi demonstrada em estudos prévios 20,22,31,32 e evidencia a maior insatisfação dos usuários com os serviços odontológicos que não os proveem de informações em saúde bucal. A satisfação do usuário, independentemente dos demais potenciais benefícios de se obter informações, representa por si só um desfecho almejado pela assistência 33 , corroborando como um motivo a mais para que os serviços de saúde se preocupem em garantir acesso a informações a seus usuários.…”

Access to information on how to avoid oral health problems among elderly persons registered with the Family Health Strategy

“…24 Increased access to preventative information among the elderly, an age group that has poor oral health and poor access to dental services, 21 could lead to improvements in their conditions of oral health. Access to such data can result in improved awareness of the need for dental treatment 21 and of the appearance of the mouth, 25 as well as satisfaction with dental services 26 There is therefore a clear need for educational programs aimed at the provision of such information.…”