[Racial inequity in oral health in Brazil]. / Iniquidades raciais em saúde bucal no Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: To identify racial inequities in oral health between groups of adults selfdeclared as white, black, or mixed in Brazil. METHODS: Secondary data were obtained from the national oral health survey of the Brazilian population (SB-Brasil 2002-2003) database. Initially, a cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the following outcome variables: caries, tooth loss, pain of dental origin, and need for prostheses according to race/color in a sample of 12 811 adults of both sexes, aged 35 to 44 years. In the second stage, an ecologic study was carried out with data aggregated by Brazilian state to contextualize racial inequity in a population of 6 918 black individuals (black and mixed). For that, the oral health outcomes studied in the first stage were correlated with human development and income distribution indicators. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between the race/color groups for all oral health outcomes examined (P < 0.01). Correlations were found between oral health outcomes and indicators related to the human development profile, average family income, and income inequality by state for the group of Brazilian blacks. CONCLUSIONS: The results show racial inequity in oral health in Brazil for all the indicators analyzed (caries, tooth loss, pain, and need for prostheses), with greater vulnerability among the black population compared to whites. Contextual factors related to the human development profile, income distribution, and access to health care policies appear to play a key role in describing the vulnerability of populations to oral health problems.

Iniquidades raciais em saúde bucal no Brasil / Racial inequity in oral health in Brazil

OBJETIVO: Identificar iniquidades raciais em saúde bucal entre grupos de pessoas adultas autodeclaradas como brancas, pretas ou pardas no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados dados secundários obtidos da base de dados da pesquisa nacional sobre a condição de saúde bucal da população brasileira (SB Brasil 2002-2003). Inicialmente, foi realizado um estudo transversal para comparar as variáveis de desfecho cárie, perda dental, dor de origem dentária e necessidade de prótese por grupo de raça/cor para uma amostra de 12 811 adultos de ambos os sexos, na faixa etária de 35 a 44 anos. Na segunda etapa, realizou-se um estudo ecológico com dados agregados por estado brasileiro para contextualizar as iniquidades raciais para uma população de 6 918 negros, agregando pretos e pardos, analisando a correlação entre os desfechos em saúde bucal estudados na primeira fase e os indicadores de desenvolvimento humano e concentração de renda. RESULTADOS: Diferenças significativas foram observadas entre os grupos de raça/cor para todos os desfechos de saúde bucal analisados (P < 0,01). Foram encontradas correlações entre desfechos em saúde bucal e indicadores ligados ao perfil de desenvolvimento humano, renda média familiar e desigualdade de renda por estado brasileiro para o grupo de negros. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados evidenciaram iniquidades raciais em saúde bucal no Brasil em todos os indicadores analisados (cárie, perda dentária, dor e necessidade de prótese), com maior vulnerabilidade da população negra (pretos e pardos) em relação aos brancos. Fatores contextuais relacionados ao perfil de desenvolvimento humano, à distribuição de renda e ao acesso a políticas de cuidado em saúde parecem ter papel essencial na caracterização da vulnerabilidade de grupos populacionais a agravos em saúde bucal.

OBJECTIVE: To identify racial inequities in oral health between groups of adults selfdeclared as white, black, or mixed in Brazil. METHODS: Secondary data were obtained from the national oral health survey of the Brazilian population (SB-Brasil 2002-2003) database. Initially, a cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the following outcome variables: caries, tooth loss, pain of dental origin, and need for prostheses according to race/color in a sample of 12 811 adults of both sexes, aged 35 to 44 years. In the second stage, an ecologic study was carried out with data aggregated by Brazilian state to contextualize racial inequity in a population of 6 918 black individuals (black and mixed). For that, the oral health outcomes studied in the first stage were correlated with human development and income distribution indicators. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between the race/color groups for all oral health outcomes examined (P < 0.01). Correlations were found between oral health outcomes and indicators related to the human development profile, average family income, and income inequality by state for the group of Brazilian blacks. CONCLUSIONS:The results show racial inequity in oral health in Brazil for all the indicators analyzed (caries, tooth loss, pain, and need for prostheses), with greater vulnerability among the black population compared to whites. Contextual factors related to the human development profile, income distribution, and access to health care policies appear to play a key role in describing the vulnerability of populations to oral health problems.