RESUMO
O artigo propõe uma reflexão sobre o problema/dilema da alocação de recursos para a saúde em uma sociedade como a brasileira, marcada por severas desigualdades sociais entre seus cidadãos. Para tal, discute os conceitos de justiça e igualdade propostos por Amartya Sen (2001) e propõe o olhar da bioética para a busca pela justiça sanitária. A conclusão é que essa busca requer uma luta árdua e um processo que objetive a construção de políticas públicas de saúde comprometidas com os interesses dos socialmente excluídos e com políticas nacionais que garantam a eficácia social dos sistemas de saúde.
Assuntos
Equidade , Administração Pública , Bioética , Alocação de Recursos para a Atenção à Saúde , Direito Sanitário , Equidade na Alocação de Recursos , Política de Saúde , Recursos em Saúde , Saúde Pública , Sistema Único de SaúdeRESUMO
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries and need for treatment among 18 years-old males in Florianópolis, Southern Brazil. In addition, the associations between dental caries and socioeconomic conditions were tested. A cross sectional study was carried out. A random sample of 300, was selected from a list of Brazilian Army conscripts. Clinical data were collected according to World Health Organization criteria. Socioeconomic data (years of education of the subjects, their fathers and mothers and family income) were collected through interviews. The statistical significance of associations between socioeconomic indicators and dental caries prevalence were tested using the chi-square test whilst for severity of dental caries Mann-Whitney test was used. The prevalence of dental caries was 81 and the mean DMF-T was 4.5. The mean number of teeth that needed treatment was 1.2. Both dental status and treatment need were statistically significantly associated with socioeconomic indicators. Those with low levels of education and income experienced more disease and needed more treatment than those from high levels of education and income.