Access to Oral Health Services in Areas Covered by the Family Health Strategy, Paraíba, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate access to oral health services and associated factors in areas covered by the Family Health Strategy. Material and Methods: This is a populationbased study with a systematic random sample of 759 individuals aged ≥ 06 years of a municipality in northeastern Brazil. Data on socio-economic and demographic conditions, tooth pain severity in the last six months and issues related to access to oral health services were collected. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test and Poisson regression analysis, considering 5% significance level. All tests were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS) version 18.0. Results: 61.7% of individuals had access to dental services, 53.5% of them in the public sector. Through Poisson multivariate regression, individuals more likely to have full access were students (PR 3.085, 95% CI 1.75-5.43), adolescents (PR 2.297, 95% CI 1.30-4.04), adults at reproductive phase (PR 2.127, 95% CI 1.24-3.62) and those with toothache in the last six months (PR 1.314, 95% CI 1.08-1.59). Illiterates and individuals with up to complete elementary school were associated with lower likelihood of having full access to oral health services. Conclusion: More than half of the sample had access to oral health services, being higher in the public sector than in the private sector. Having full access to oral health services was associated in the multivariate model with age, education and toothache in the last six months.