[Anxiety regarding dental treatment: prevalence and predictors among Brazilians]. / Ansiedade frente ao tratamento odontológico: prevalência e fatores predictores em brasileiros.

Considering the negative impact anxiety can exert over dental treatment, the scope of this study was to determine the prevalence of predictors of anxiety regarding dental treatment among Brazilians. A cross-sectional study was carried out using the Corah dental anxiety scale to assess the degree of anxiety regarding dental treatment among 3000 patients. The results reveal that two out of every eight Brazilian patients manifest moderate to severe anxiety regarding dental treatment. In this sample, the degree of anxiety was higher among females (p=0.007), over 20 years of age (p=0.006), without access to the Internet and/or newspapers (p=0.016), with a low frequency of oral hygiene (p=0.001), for whom the reason for the dental appointment was curative treatment, pain or another problem rather than a check up (p=0.047) and those suffering from toothache (p<0.001). Fear and anxiety regarding dental treatment indeed exist in the Brazilian population and the findings of this study suggest that, besides the lack of economic resources, negligence with respect to oral health, gender and age may increase the degree of anxiety.

Ansiedade frente ao tratamento odontológico: prevalência e fatores predictores em brasileiros / Anxiety regarding dental treatment: prevalence and predictors among Brazilians

Diante do impacto negativo que a ansiedade exerce sobre o atendimento odontológico, buscou-se conhecer sua prevalência e seus fatores predictores frente esse tratamento em brasileiros. Foi realizado um estudo de corte transversal, utilizando-se a escala de ansiedade de Corah para avaliar 3000 pacientes. Os resultados demonstram que 2 em cada 8 brasileiros avaliados apresentaram moderada ou severa ansiedade frente ao atendimento odontológico, verificando-se que a probabilidade de um paciente da população da qual a amostra foi extraída apresentar ansiedade é mais elevada se: for mulher (p = 0,007), da faixa etária superior a 20 anos (p = 0,006), se não possuir acesso a internet e/ou jornais (p = 0,016), se tiver baixa frequência de higiene oral (p = 0,001), se a visita dental for motivada por busca de tratamento curativo, por dor ou outro problema, ao invés de um check-up (p = 0,047), e experiência de odontalgia (p<0,001). O medo e a ansiedade a fatores odontológicos existem de fato na população brasileira e as conclusões do estudo sugerem que, além da falta de recursos econômicos, o descaso com a saúde bucal, o gênero e a idade podem aumentar o grau de ansiedade.

Considering the negative impact anxiety can exert over dental treatment, the scope of this study was to determine the prevalence of predictors of anxiety regarding dental treatment among Brazilians. A cross-sectional study was carried out using the Corah dental anxiety scale to assess the degree of anxiety regarding dental treatment among 3000 patients. The results reveal that two out of every eight Brazilian patients manifest moderate to severe anxiety regarding dental treatment. In this sample, the degree of anxiety was higher among females (p=0.007), over 20 years of age (p=0.006), without access to the Internet and/or newspapers (p=0.016), with a low frequency of oral hygiene (p=0.001), for whom the reason for the dental appointment was curative treatment, pain or another problem rather than a check up (p=0.047) and those suffering from toothache (p<0.001). Fear and anxiety regarding dental treatment indeed exist in the Brazilian population and the findings of this study suggest that, besides the lack of economic resources, negligence with respect to oral health, gender and age may increase the degree of anxiety.

[Psychosocial aspects of teenager in Aracaju, Sergipe State, related to oral health perception]. / Aspectos psicossociais dos adolescentes de Aracaju (SE) relacionados à percepção de saúde bucal.

The objective of this article is to investigate the autoperception of teenagers, age range of 12 to 19 years old in Aracaju, Sergipe State, about their health and relate it with psychosocial aspects. The present work is a quali-quantitative study of transversal cut, carried through with 247 adolescents registered institutions of education, private or public, of the urban zone of the city of Aracaju. Most of the adolescents (85%) consider themselves healthful, while 9% have shame of the oral conditions. Seventy-one percent of the students referred to pain, however it wasn't the main cause to search dentistry services. The subjective pointers of this research may be used to guide programs directed toward education in health.

Aspectos psicossociais dos adolescentes de Aracaju (SE) relacionados à percepção de saúde bucal / Psychosocial aspects of teenager in Aracaju, Sergipe State, related to oral health perception

O objetivo do estudo é investigar a autopercepção dos adolescentes, entre doze e dezenove anos, da cidade de Aracaju (SE), sobre sua própria saúde e relacioná-la aos aspectos psicossociais. Foi realizado um estudo qualiquantitativo de corte transversal com 247 adolescentes matriculados em instituições de ensino, públicas ou privadas, da zona urbana do município de Aracaju (SE). A maior parte dos adolescentes (85 por cento) se considera saudável, enquanto 9 por cento têm vergonha das condições bucais. Apesar de referida por 71 por cento dos escolares, a dor não foi o principal motivo para procura dos serviços odontológicos. Os indicadores subjetivos desta pesquisa podem ser utilizados para guiar programas voltados para a educação em saúde.

The objective of this article is to investigate the autoperception of teenagers, age range of 12 to 19 years old in Aracaju, Sergipe State, about their health and relate it with psychosocial aspects. The present work is a quali-quantitative study of transversal cut, carried through with 247 adolescents registered institutions of education, private or public, of the urban zone of the city of Aracaju. Most of the adolescents (85 percent) consider themselves healthful, while 9 percent have shame of the oral conditions. Seventy-one percent of the students referred to pain, however it wasn't the main cause to search dentistry services. The subjective pointers of this research may be used to guide programs directed toward education in health.