Masticatory Function and Nutritional Status in Brazilian Institutionalized Elders: Influence of Denture Use

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the influence of tooth loss and the use of removable dentures on chewing function and nutritional status of institutionalized elders. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study with 155 elders from seven long-stay institutions in João Pessoa, Brazil. The participants were classified according to the presence of reminiscent teeth and use of dentures in four levels: toothless, without denture (1); toothless with a complete denture (2); partial toothless without denture (3) and partial toothless with a partial denture (4). Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) instrument and the Body Mass Index (BMI). Swallowing threshold was used for the assessment of masticatory function, using a portion of roasted peanuts (3.7 g). Comparisons among groups were performed using Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni adjustment, considering p<0.05. Results: MNA (p=0.702) and BMI (p=0.884) were not modified in relation to the presence of teeth and denture use. Toothless individuals without dentures had a lower swallowing threshold (p<0.001), whilst partial toothless with dentures had better masticatory function (p>0.05). Conclusion: The presence of reminiscent teeth and the use of dentures do not influence the nutritional status of the elders but interfere with the masticatory function. Prosthetic rehabilitation is desirable for complete toothless individuals.

PNAB 2017 and the number of community health agents in primary care in Brazil / A PNAB 2017 e o número de agentes comunitários de saúde na atenção primária do Brasil

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of the 2017 Basic Primary Care Policy (PNAB) on the number of community health agents per primary health care team. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study using data available on the Ministry of Health platform called e-Gestor da Atenção Básica, about Brazil's 5,570 towns between October 2017 and December 2019. The survival of the number of towns that did not reduce the number of community health agents was analyzed according to region of the country, the Human Development Index (HDI), the Gini Inequality Index and population size. Cox regression was used to analyze the factors associated with a reduction in the number of CHAs after one month and, from then on, every three months until two years had passed since the publication of the 2017 PNAB Ordinance, considering p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: After two years, the greatest reduction was observed in towns in the Midwest and South regions, which presented a high HDI, lower inequality and larger populations. Towns in the Midwest (HR = 1.256) had a higher chance of reducing the number of CHAs compared to the North region. Towns with a higher HDI (HR = 1.053) and larger population size (HR = 1.186) were also more likely to reduc the number of community health agents. Therefore, after the 2017 PNA, the number of towns reducing the amount of community health workers in primary health care increased over the months

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Analisar o efeito da Política Nacional de Atenção Básica (PNAB) de 2017 no quantitativo de agentes comunitários de saúde, por equipe de atenção primária em saúde. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico, utilizando dados disponibilizados na plataforma e-Gestor da Atenção Básica, do Ministério da Saúde, sobre os 5.570 municípios brasileiros, entre outubro de 2017 e dezembro de 2019. A sobrevida do número de municípios que não reduziram o quantitativo de agentes comunitários de saúde foi analisada segundo a região do país, índice de desenvolvimento humano (IDH), índice de desigualdade de Gini e porte populacional. A Regressão de Cox foi utilizada para analisar os fatores associados à redução do número de ACS após um mês e, a partir de então, a cada três meses, até completarem os dois anos da publicação da portaria da PNAB 2017, considerando-se p < 0,05. CONCLUSÕES: Após dois anos, a maior redução foi observada em municípios das regiões Centro-Oeste e Sul, que apresentaram IDH alto, menos desiguais e com maior porte populacional. Municípios do Centro-Oeste (HR = 1,256) apresentaram maior chance de redução do número de ACS comparado à região Norte. Municípios com maior IDH (HR = 1,053) e maior porte populacional (HR = 1,186) também apresentaram maior chance de reduzir o número de agentes comunitários de saúde. Portanto, após a PNAB 2017, houve um aumento ao longo dos meses no número de municípios que reduziram a quantidade de agentes comunitários em saúde na atenção primária de saúde.

Acesso em saúde bucal no Brasil: análise das iniquidades e não acesso na perspectiva do usuário, segundo o Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica, 2014 e 2018 / Acceso a la salud oral en Brasil: análisis de desigualdades y falta de acceso desde la perspectiva del usuario, según Programa para Mejorar el Acceso y la Calidad de la Atención Primaria, 2014 y 2018 / Oral health access in Brazil: analysis of inequities and non-access from the service user's perspective, according to the National Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program, 2014 and 2018

Objetivo: Investigar os fatores associados ao não acesso em saúde bucal no Brasil. Métodos: Estudo transversal, sobre dados da avaliação externa do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica, em 2014 e 2018, mediante regressão logística multivariada hierarquizada. Definiu-se como 'não acesso' quando o usuário não consegue marcar consulta com cirurgião-dentista. Resultados: Foram analisados dados de 37.262 indivíduos do segundo ciclo (2014) e 117.570 do terceiro ciclo (2018). Maior chance de não acesso ocorreu para residentes em municípios mais desiguais e com menor cobertura de saúde bucal, deslocamento para a unidade de saúde superior a 11 minutos, sexo feminino, idade entre 25 e 39 anos e renda de até 1 salário mínimo. Conclusão: O não acesso associou-se a fatores municipais, como maior desigualdade; fatores organizacionais, como menor cobertura e tempo de deslocamento até a unidade; e fatores individuais, como sexo, idade e renda.

Objetivo: Investigar los factores asociados a la falta de acceso a la salud bucal en Brasil. Métodos: Estudio transversal, con datos de la evaluación externa del Programa de Mejoramiento del Acceso y la Calidad de la Atención Primaria (2014 y 2018), mediante regresión logística multivariable jerárquica. La categoría 'sin acceso' se definió cuando el usuario no consiguió concertar una consulta con un cirujano dentista. Resultados: Analizamos datos de 37.262 (2014) y 117.570 (2018) individuos. Se encontró una mayor probabilidad de no acceso para quienes: vivían en municipios con más desigualdad y con menor cobertura de salud bucal, cuyo tiempo de viaje a la unidad era superior a 11 minutos; mujeres, entre 25 y 39 años e ingresos de hasta 1 sueldo mínimo. Conclusión: La falta de acceso se asoció con factores municipales como mayor desigualdad; factores organizacionales como menor cobertura y tiempo de viaje a la unidad; y factores individuales como sexo, edad e ingresos.

Objective: To investigate factors associated with non-access to oral health in Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of data from external evaluations of the National Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program (2014 and 2018), using hierarchical multivariate logistic regression. 'Non-access' was defined as the service user not being able to make an appointment with a dentist. Results: We analyzed data on 37.262 individuals (2014 sample) and on a further 117.570 individuals (2018 sample). Greater likelihood of non-access was found for those who live in municipalities with greater inequalities and with less oral health coverage, those whose travel time to the health center is more than 11 minutes, being female, being aged between 25 and 39 years and those whose income was up to 1 minimum wage. Conclusion: Non-access was associated with municipal factors such as greater inequality; organizational factors such as less oral health coverage and travel time to the health center; and individual factors such as sex, age and income.

Diagnosis of mucosal changes and hospitalized oral cancer patients in Brazil: influence of socioeconomic factors

Abstract This study aimed to analyze the influence of socioeconomic factors on the frequency of diagnoses of oral mucosal changes and the number of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from all Brazilian cities in the period 2011-2017. The frequency of diagnoses of oral mucosal changes and the number of hospitalized patients of oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil were extracted from the Primary Care Information System (SIAB) and Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) databases. The socioeconomic factors evaluated were the Gini coefficient of inequality, municipal Human Development Index (MHDI), inadequate basic sanitation rate, employment rate, illiteracy rate and expected years of schooling. Associated factors were examined using bivariate Spearman's correlations and multivariate Poisson regressions, and statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlations between study variables and regression coefficients were obtained. A higher frequency of diagnoses of mucosal changes was observed in cities with a higher Gini coefficient (B = 11.614; p < 0.001), higher MHDI (B = 11.298; p < 0.001), and higher number of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer (B = 0.001, p < 0.002). Cities with higher Gini coefficients (B = 8.159, p < 0.001), higher inadequate basic sanitation rates (B = 0.09, p = 0.001), lower expected years of schooling (B = -0.718, p < 0.001), and higher illiteracy rates (B = 0.191, p < 0.001) had a higher frequency of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer. In conclusion, more developed cities showed a higher frequency of diagnoses of mucosal changes. Greater inequality and worse socioeconomic conditions are associated with a higher frequency of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil.

Offer and Use of Oral Health in Primary Care Before and After the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

Abstract Objective: To compare the offer and use of oral health services in primary care, before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Material and Methods: An observational study with a cross-sectional ecological design, using data from the Health Information System for Primary Care. Data regarding the number of Oral Health Teams (OHT), Oral Health Coverage in Primary Care (OHC), number of First Programmatic Dental Consultations (FPDC), and number of visits due to dental abscess and toothache were collected. Data regarding the 26 Brazilian states and Federal District were collected, as consolidated of the first quarter (January to April) of 2019 and of 2020. The median of the difference (MD) and the percentage of variation (%V) were obtained for each variable and were compared by Wilcoxon test (α<0.05). Results: An increase in the number of OHT was observed in 25 states (MD=45; %V=6.13; p<0.001), whilst the OHC increased in 17 states (MD=1.01; %V=1.62; p=0.035) between the 2019 and 2020. We also verified a significant reduction in the number of FPDC (MD=- 42.806; %V=-38.70; p<0.001), as well as in the number of visits due to dental abscess (MD=-1.032; %V=-29.04; p=0.002) and due to toothache (MD=-14.445; %V=-32.68; p<0.001). Conclusion: Although an expansion of OHT and OHC between 2019 and 2020 was verified, the offer and use of oral health services in primary care has decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.