Oral health-care practices and dental assistance management strategies for people with autism spectrum disorder: An integrative literature review.

ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorder requires a careful approach from professionals and a favorable clinical environment for dental care and assistance. This article aims To perform a literature review about oral health among people with autism spectrum disorder and dental management strategies for this group. An integrative literature review was carried out in three databases, associating the descriptors: (autism or autism spectrum disorder) with (oral health or oral diseases) and (dental care or dental services). After identification and screening steps, 32 articles were included in the study. The most prevalent subjects were oral health conditions, parents' understanding and practical attitudes about oral health, treatment and management strategies, and the use of technology. The principal barriers to dental care were the scarcity of specialized professionals, unpreparedness in the referral system, poor accessibility of the clinics, and lack of specific care protocols. The world literature on the subject is scarce, and there is still a need for investment and scientific production due to the incidence of autism in the world population and the maintenance of difficulties and barriers in offering quality health care to this group.

[Telehealth as state response strategy: systematic reviewLa telesalud como estrategia de respuesta del Estado: revisión sistemática]. / A telessaúde como estratégia de resposta do Estado: revisão sistemática.

OBJECTIVE: To identify telehealth initiatives described in the literature as a strategy for national health policies. METHOD: A systematic review was performed to identify articles focusing on the use of telehealth as a state response strategy to health problems or needs. The Virtual Health Library, PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched using the following keywords: "telessaude politicas", "implantacao telessaude", "telehealth policy", "telehealth America", "telehealth Asia", "telehealth Antartida", "telehealth Europe", "telehealth Africa", "telehealth Oceania". Data collection was performed from March 2016 to February 2017. RESULTS: Twenty-one articles describing telehealth initiatives in various countries, published in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, were analyzed. Concentration of studies on specific areas or regions was not detected. Most articles were published from 2014 to 2017. Telehealth initiatives have been used mainly to decrease health costs, for continued education of health care professionals, consultations between health care professionals, to strengthen primary health care, and to improve the access to health care in remote areas. CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth is used as state policy across the five continents, with variations in the degree of implementation. The main differences in telehealth among countries refer to infrastructure, financing, engagement of patients and caretakers, and position of the state regarding the role of telehealth.

OBJETIVO: Determinar las acciones de telesalud descritas en las publicaciones pertinentes como estrategia en materia de políticas nacionales de salud. MÉTODO: Se realizó un estudio de revisión sistemática de la producción científica sobre la utilización de la telesalud como estrategia de respuesta del Estado a los problemas o a las necesidades de salud de la población, en el cual se emplearon las bases de datos de la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud (BVS), PubMed y Google Académico. Los términos utilizados en la búsqueda fueron "telesalud política", "implantación telesalud", "telehealth policy", "telehealth America", "telehealth Asia", "telehealth Antarctica", "telehealth Europe", "telehealth Africa" y "telehealth Oceania". Los datos se recopilaron entre marzo del 2016 y febrero del 2017. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 21 artículos en español, inglés y portugués sobre telesalud en distintos países. No hubo ninguna concentración importante de artículos por lugar ni región. El mayor número de publicaciones se registró entre el 2014 y el 2017. La estrategia de telesalud se ha puesto en práctica para reducir los costos de la atención de salud, fomentar la educación permanente de los profesionales de salud y facilitar las consultas entre ellos, fortalecer la atención primaria de salud y ampliar el acceso a los servicios de salud en las zonas remotas. CONCLUSIONES: La estrategia de telesalud se utiliza como política pública en África, América, Asia y Europa, pero existen variaciones con respecto a la fase de implantación. Las principales diferencias en materia de telesalud observadas en los distintos países correspondieron a infraestructura, financiamiento, compromiso de los enfermos y prestadores de cuidado, y postura del Estado frente al papel de la telesalud.

[Maltreatment: study from the perspective of the police department for the protection of the child and the adolescent in Salvador, Bahia]. / Maus-tratos: estudo através da perspectiva da delegacia de proteção à criança e ao adolescente em Salvador, Bahia.

This cross-sectional study describes the occurrences of maltreatment recorded over three years (1997-1999) in a Brazilian Police Department for the Protection of the Child and the Adolescent. Socio-demographic and physical data of victims, aggressors and denouncers were investigated in a sample consisting of 2073 cases. The victims were aged between 0-18 years, of which 56.1% were girls. Data were entered into EPI INFO 2000 software and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test to determine significant differences (p<0.05). All manifestations of abuse, except physical abuse, tend to occur more frequently in females, and tend to be more prevalent in the 11-to-15 year-old subgroup. Physical abuse was the most common offense (64.7%). Injuries of face and jaw were found in 65.3% of the cases. Most of the aggressors were males (71.8%). There was a positive correlation between gender (female) and sexual abuse. Physical violence against boys was more intensive, as indicated by the presence of more severe body lesions. Health professionals should increase their diagnostic skills and raise the awareness of their communities to take action for reducing the incidence and the impact of violence upon children and adolescents.