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OBJECTIVE: To advance oral health policies (OHPs) in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region, barriers to and facilitators for creating, disseminating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating OHPs in the region were examined. METHODS: Global Health, Embase, PubMed, Public Affairs Information Service Index, ABI/Inform, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Scopus, Dissertations Global, Google Scholar, WHO's Institutional Repository for Information Sharing (IRIS), the WHO Noncommunicable Diseases Document Repository and the Regional African Index Medicus and African Journals Online were searched. Technical officers at the WHO Regional Office for Africa were contacted. Research studies and policy documents reporting barriers to and facilitators for OHP in the 47 Member States in the WHO African region published between January 2002 and March 2024 in English, French or Portuguese were included. Frequencies were used to summarize quantitative data, and descriptive content analysis was used to code and classify barrier and facilitator statements. RESULTS: Eighty-eight reports, including 55 research articles and 33 policy documents, were included. The vast majority of the research articles and policy documents were country-specific, but they were lacking for most countries. Frequently mentioned barriers across policy at all stages included financial constraints, a limited and poorly organized workforce, deprioritization of oral health, the absence of health information systems, inadequate integration of oral health services within the overarching health system and limited oral health literacy. Facilitators included a renewed commitment to establishing national OHPs, recognition of a need to diversify the oral health workforce, and an increased understanding of the influence of social determinants of health among oral health care providers. CONCLUSIONS: Most countries lack a country-specific body of evidence to assist policymakers in anticipating barriers to and facilitators for OHPs. The barriers and facilitators relevant to disparate subnational, national, and regional conditions and circumstances must be considered to advance the creation, dissemination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of OHPs in the WHO African region.
RESUMO
Objective: Describe the demographic characteristics of the population attending the dental emergency services in health Center Juan Petrinovic, located in Santiago, Chile, and examine the effectiveness of dental treatment given to this population. Material and Methods: Before-after study, where 45 patients were surveyed twice, first, before their dental care and then in phone call follow-up. Patients completed interviewer-administered surveys that asked about patients' self-reported pain level, oral health-related quality of life, and demographic information. Demographic information collected included age, sex, educational level, type of health insurance, and municipal district where patients lived. Self-reported pain level was measured using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and oral health quality of life was measured using the Dental Health Status Quality of Life Questionnaire (DS-QoL). Statistical descriptive analyses were performed, and statistical tests were applied to determine if the care given was effective on pain relief and increased quality of life status. Results: Most of the patients seeking care at the dental emergency service were female (67%), adults (average age 46 years), with high school education (58%), and FONASA health insurance (98%). The most common reason for using dental emergency services was pain (51%). Dental treatment given to the patients was effective in relieving pain (reduction in VAS score was 34.34 between pre and post attention) and improving their oral health status (reduction in DS-QoL score was 3.18 between pre and post attention). Conclusion: This dental emergency service was effective in reducing pain and improving the quality of life of the patient.
Objetivo: Describir las características demográficas de la población que asiste a los servicios de emergencia odontológica en el Centro de Salud Juan Petrinovic, ubicado en Santiago de Chile, y examinar la efectividad del tratamiento odontológico que se le brinda a esta población. Material y Métodos: Estudio antes-después, donde se encuestó a 45 pacientes en dos ocasiones, primero, antes de su atención odontológica y luego en seguimiento telefónico. Los pacientes completaron encuestas administradas por el entrevistador que preguntaban sobre el nivel de dolor autoinformado por los pacientes, la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud bucal y la información demográfica. La información demográfica recopilada incluyó edad, sexo, nivel educativo, tipo de seguro médico y distrito municipal donde vivían los pacientes. El nivel de dolor autoinformado se midió mediante una escala analógica visual (EVA) y la calidad de vida de la salud bucal se midió mediante el Cuestionario de calidad de vida del estado de salud dental (DS-QoL). Se realizaron análisis estadísticos descriptivos y se aplicaron pruebas estadísticas para determinar si la atención brindada fue efectiva para aliviar el dolor y mejorar el estado de la calidad de vida. Resultados: La mayoría de los pacientes que acudieron al servicio de urgencias odontológicas fueron mujeres (67%), adultos (edad promedio 46 años), con estudios secundarios (58%) y seguro médico FONASA (98%). La razón más común para utilizar los servicios de emergencia dental fue el dolor (51%). El tratamiento dental administrado a los pacientes fue eficaz para aliviar el dolor (la reducción de la puntuación EVA fue de 34,34 entre la atención previa y posterior) y la mejora de su estado de salud bucal (la reducción de la puntuación DS-QoL fue de 3,18 entre la atención previa y posterior). Conclusión: Este servicio de urgencias odontológicas fue eficaz para reducir el dolor y mejorar la calidad de vida del paciente.