Economic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Dentists in One of the Poorest Brazilian States: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dentists' income and to identify associated factors in one of the poorest Brazilian states. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study including dentists who volunteered to answer an electronic questionnaire in Maranhão. Hierarchical multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed, estimating crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) (alpha=5%). Results: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the professionals´ income negatively [55.44% (50.26-60.52%)] and also positively [6.9% (4.55-9.94%)]. The negative impact on income was greater among male dentists (OR=2.54; 95%CI: 1.16-5.53), over 30 years of age (OR=3.03; 95%CI: 1.34-6.87), with family income below two minimum wages (OR=4.63; 95%CI: 1.50-14.30), who worked in the continent instead of in the capital island (OR=2.21; 95%CI: 1.14-4.29) and in the private sector (OR=31.43; 95%CI: 11.59-85.22). Moreover, those who had been tested for COVID-19, with a negative result, had a 21.3-fold greater chance of having an increased household income when compared to those who had not been tested. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the dentists' income in Maranhão, especially the older, males, with lower incomes, and who worked in the private sector, living far from the capital. The SUS played an important role in the social protection of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigating the economic impacts on the public sector working class.

Diagnosis of mucosal changes and hospitalized oral cancer patients in Brazil: influence of socioeconomic factors

Abstract This study aimed to analyze the influence of socioeconomic factors on the frequency of diagnoses of oral mucosal changes and the number of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from all Brazilian cities in the period 2011-2017. The frequency of diagnoses of oral mucosal changes and the number of hospitalized patients of oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil were extracted from the Primary Care Information System (SIAB) and Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) databases. The socioeconomic factors evaluated were the Gini coefficient of inequality, municipal Human Development Index (MHDI), inadequate basic sanitation rate, employment rate, illiteracy rate and expected years of schooling. Associated factors were examined using bivariate Spearman's correlations and multivariate Poisson regressions, and statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlations between study variables and regression coefficients were obtained. A higher frequency of diagnoses of mucosal changes was observed in cities with a higher Gini coefficient (B = 11.614; p < 0.001), higher MHDI (B = 11.298; p < 0.001), and higher number of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer (B = 0.001, p < 0.002). Cities with higher Gini coefficients (B = 8.159, p < 0.001), higher inadequate basic sanitation rates (B = 0.09, p = 0.001), lower expected years of schooling (B = -0.718, p < 0.001), and higher illiteracy rates (B = 0.191, p < 0.001) had a higher frequency of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer. In conclusion, more developed cities showed a higher frequency of diagnoses of mucosal changes. Greater inequality and worse socioeconomic conditions are associated with a higher frequency of hospitalized patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil.

PNAB 2017 and the number of community health agents in primary care in Brazil / A PNAB 2017 e o número de agentes comunitários de saúde na atenção primária do Brasil

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of the 2017 Basic Primary Care Policy (PNAB) on the number of community health agents per primary health care team. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study using data available on the Ministry of Health platform called e-Gestor da Atenção Básica, about Brazil's 5,570 towns between October 2017 and December 2019. The survival of the number of towns that did not reduce the number of community health agents was analyzed according to region of the country, the Human Development Index (HDI), the Gini Inequality Index and population size. Cox regression was used to analyze the factors associated with a reduction in the number of CHAs after one month and, from then on, every three months until two years had passed since the publication of the 2017 PNAB Ordinance, considering p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: After two years, the greatest reduction was observed in towns in the Midwest and South regions, which presented a high HDI, lower inequality and larger populations. Towns in the Midwest (HR = 1.256) had a higher chance of reducing the number of CHAs compared to the North region. Towns with a higher HDI (HR = 1.053) and larger population size (HR = 1.186) were also more likely to reduc the number of community health agents. Therefore, after the 2017 PNA, the number of towns reducing the amount of community health workers in primary health care increased over the months

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Analisar o efeito da Política Nacional de Atenção Básica (PNAB) de 2017 no quantitativo de agentes comunitários de saúde, por equipe de atenção primária em saúde. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico, utilizando dados disponibilizados na plataforma e-Gestor da Atenção Básica, do Ministério da Saúde, sobre os 5.570 municípios brasileiros, entre outubro de 2017 e dezembro de 2019. A sobrevida do número de municípios que não reduziram o quantitativo de agentes comunitários de saúde foi analisada segundo a região do país, índice de desenvolvimento humano (IDH), índice de desigualdade de Gini e porte populacional. A Regressão de Cox foi utilizada para analisar os fatores associados à redução do número de ACS após um mês e, a partir de então, a cada três meses, até completarem os dois anos da publicação da portaria da PNAB 2017, considerando-se p < 0,05. CONCLUSÕES: Após dois anos, a maior redução foi observada em municípios das regiões Centro-Oeste e Sul, que apresentaram IDH alto, menos desiguais e com maior porte populacional. Municípios do Centro-Oeste (HR = 1,256) apresentaram maior chance de redução do número de ACS comparado à região Norte. Municípios com maior IDH (HR = 1,053) e maior porte populacional (HR = 1,186) também apresentaram maior chance de reduzir o número de agentes comunitários de saúde. Portanto, após a PNAB 2017, houve um aumento ao longo dos meses no número de municípios que reduziram a quantidade de agentes comunitários em saúde na atenção primária de saúde.

Acesso em saúde bucal no Brasil: análise das iniquidades e não acesso na perspectiva do usuário, segundo o Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica, 2014 e 2018 / Acceso a la salud oral en Brasil: análisis de desigualdades y falta de acceso desde la perspectiva del usuario, según Programa para Mejorar el Acceso y la Calidad de la Atención Primaria, 2014 y 2018 / Oral health access in Brazil: analysis of inequities and non-access from the service user's perspective, according to the National Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program, 2014 and 2018

Objetivo: Investigar os fatores associados ao não acesso em saúde bucal no Brasil. Métodos: Estudo transversal, sobre dados da avaliação externa do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica, em 2014 e 2018, mediante regressão logística multivariada hierarquizada. Definiu-se como 'não acesso' quando o usuário não consegue marcar consulta com cirurgião-dentista. Resultados: Foram analisados dados de 37.262 indivíduos do segundo ciclo (2014) e 117.570 do terceiro ciclo (2018). Maior chance de não acesso ocorreu para residentes em municípios mais desiguais e com menor cobertura de saúde bucal, deslocamento para a unidade de saúde superior a 11 minutos, sexo feminino, idade entre 25 e 39 anos e renda de até 1 salário mínimo. Conclusão: O não acesso associou-se a fatores municipais, como maior desigualdade; fatores organizacionais, como menor cobertura e tempo de deslocamento até a unidade; e fatores individuais, como sexo, idade e renda.

Objetivo: Investigar los factores asociados a la falta de acceso a la salud bucal en Brasil. Métodos: Estudio transversal, con datos de la evaluación externa del Programa de Mejoramiento del Acceso y la Calidad de la Atención Primaria (2014 y 2018), mediante regresión logística multivariable jerárquica. La categoría 'sin acceso' se definió cuando el usuario no consiguió concertar una consulta con un cirujano dentista. Resultados: Analizamos datos de 37.262 (2014) y 117.570 (2018) individuos. Se encontró una mayor probabilidad de no acceso para quienes: vivían en municipios con más desigualdad y con menor cobertura de salud bucal, cuyo tiempo de viaje a la unidad era superior a 11 minutos; mujeres, entre 25 y 39 años e ingresos de hasta 1 sueldo mínimo. Conclusión: La falta de acceso se asoció con factores municipales como mayor desigualdad; factores organizacionales como menor cobertura y tiempo de viaje a la unidad; y factores individuales como sexo, edad e ingresos.

Objective: To investigate factors associated with non-access to oral health in Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of data from external evaluations of the National Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program (2014 and 2018), using hierarchical multivariate logistic regression. 'Non-access' was defined as the service user not being able to make an appointment with a dentist. Results: We analyzed data on 37.262 individuals (2014 sample) and on a further 117.570 individuals (2018 sample). Greater likelihood of non-access was found for those who live in municipalities with greater inequalities and with less oral health coverage, those whose travel time to the health center is more than 11 minutes, being female, being aged between 25 and 39 years and those whose income was up to 1 minimum wage. Conclusion: Non-access was associated with municipal factors such as greater inequality; organizational factors such as less oral health coverage and travel time to the health center; and individual factors such as sex, age and income.

Acesso e cobertura populacional à saúde bucal após a implementação da Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal "Brasil Sorridente" / Access and oral health population coverage after implementation of the National Oral Health Policy "Smiling Brazil" / Acceso y cobertura de la salud oral después de la implementación de la Política Nacional de Salud Oral "Brasil Sonriente"

O objetivo foi analisar a Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal, na perspectiva do acesso e cobertura das ações desenvolvidas na odontologia do Sistema Único de Saúde, entre 2002 e 2016. A partir do quadro conceitual da Organização Mundial da Saúde, que se divide em blocos para garantir acesso, cobertura e qualidade dos sistemas de saúde, foi realizado um estudo de caso do Brasil Sorridente referentes à implantação e financiamento das equipes. O bloco "força de trabalho" revelou um crescimento superior a 470% no número de equipes de saúde bucal no Brasil; no bloco "financiamento" fica evidente o grande aporte financeiro destinado à política, com ênfase ao papel indutor deste processo nos municípios; o bloco "tecnologia" evidenciou o incremento tecnológico para viabilizar os serviços de saúde bucal em todo o Brasil; já no bloco "disponibilidade dos serviços de saúde" observa-se uma ampliação de 4% na atenção básica e os serviços especializados essas porcentagens ultrapassam os 200% entre 2001 e 2015, finalmente, no bloco "acesso e cobertura" foi possível verificar o aumento de cobertura populacional de 9% para 43% no Brasil. Os dados apontam que a política permitiu um avanço referente aos blocos estruturantes do framework e melhorou o acesso e a cobertura em saúde bucal. (AU)

The objective was to analyze the National Oral Health Policy, from the perspective of access and coverage of dentistry actions in the Unified Health System, between 2002 and 2016. Based on the World Health Organization conceptual framework, which is divided into blocks to guarantee access, coverage and quality of health systems, a case study was carried out in the Smiling Brazil considering the implementation and financing. As a result, the "workforce" block revealed a growth rate superior than 470% in the number of oral health teams in Brazil. In the "financing" block, the great financial support to the policy is evident, with emphasis on the role of this process in the municipalities. The "technology" block evidenced the technological increase to make oral health services viable in Brazil. Furthermore, in the block "availability of health services" was observed an increase of 4% in primary care. On the other hand, between 2001 and 2015, in the specialized services this percentage exceed 200%. Finally, in the block "access and coverage" was possible to verify the increase of population coverage from 9% to 43% in Brazil. The data indicate that the policy allowed an advance regarding the framework structuring blocks, as well as improved the access and coverage in oral health. (AU)

El objetivo fue analizar la Política Nacional de Salud Oral, desde la perspectiva de acceso y cobertura de las acciones desarrolladas en la odontología del Sistema Único de Salud, entre 2002 y 2016. Desde el marco conceptual de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, que se divide en bloques para garantizar el acceso, la cobertura y la calidad de los sistemas de salud, se realizó un estudio de caso de Smiling Brazil sobre la implementación y el financiamiento de los equipos. El bloque de "fuerza laboral" reveló un crecimiento de más del 470% en el número de equipos de salud bucal en Brasil; En el bloque de "financiamiento", la gran contribución financiera a la política es evidente, con énfasis en el papel inductivo de este proceso en los municipios; el bloque "tecnología" evidenció el aumento tecnológico para habilitar los servicios de salud bucal en todo Brasil; En el bloque "disponibilidad de servicios de salud" hay un aumento del 4% en atención primaria y servicios especializados, estos porcentajes superan el 200% entre 2001 y 2015, finalmente, en el bloque "acceso y cobertura" fue posible verificar el aumento Cobertura poblacional del 9% al 43% en Brasil. Los datos indican que la política permitió un avance con respecto a los componentes básicos del marco y un mejor acceso y cobertura en salud bucal. (AU)

Dental caries experience and associated factors in 12-year-old-children: a population based-study

Abstract Relevant public policies in oral health have been implemented in Brazil since 2004. Changes in the epidemiological status of dental caries are expected, mainly in the child population. This study aimed to assess the dental caries experience and associated factors among 12-year-old children in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted with data obtained from 415 cities, including a total of 26,325 schoolchildren who were included by the double-stage cluster technique, by lot and by systematic sampling. The statistical model included data from the São Paulo Oral Health Survey (SBSP 2015), the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). A theoretical-conceptual model categorized the variables into three blocks, namely, contextual (HDI, SVI, region of residence and fluoridation of water), individual (sex and ethnicity) and periodontal conditions (gingival bleeding, dental calculus and the presence of periodontal pockets), for association with the experience of caries (DMFT). Statistically significant associations were verified by hierarchical multivariate logistic (L) and Poisson (P) regression analyses (p < 0.05). The results showed that 57.7% of 12-year-old children had caries experience. Factors that determined a greater prevalence of dental caries in both models were nonwhite ethnicity (ORL = 1.113, ORP = 1.154) and the presence of gingival bleeding (ORL = 1.204, ORP = 1.255). Male children (ORL = 0.920 ORP = 0.859) and higher HDI (ORL = 0.022), ORP = 0.040) were associated with a lower prevalence of dental caries experience. Water fluoridation was associated with a lower DMFT index (ORP = 0.766). Dental caries experience is still associated with social inequalities at different levels. Policymakers should direct interventions towards reducing inequalities and the prevalence of dental caries among 12-year-old children.

Monitoring of oral health teams after National Primary Care Policy 2017 / Monitoramento das equipes de saúde bucal após a Política Nacional de Atenção Básica 2017

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To monitor the number of oral health teams implemented in the Family Health Strategy after National Primary Care Policy 2017. METHODS This is a study of quantitative, descriptive and analytical nature that used the data from the public reports of the history of oral health coverage available in the e-Manager platform of Primary Care of the Ministry of Health of all Brazilian municipalities (5,570). The survival rate of the municipalities that did not reduce the number of oral health teams was analyzed according to the region of the country, human development index, Gini inequality index and population size. Cox regression was used to analyze the factors associated with the decrease in the number of teams implanted after 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 months of publication of the 2017 national policy ordinance, considering the hazard ratio (HR) and p < 0.05. RESULTS After 21 months of publication of the policy, 6.7% of Brazilian municipalities reduced the number of oral health teams. This reduction was higher in the South (6.7%) and Northeast (4.8%), in municipalities with the highest human development index, i.e., greater than or equal to 0.7 (5.6%), more unequal in terms of income distribution (Gini index > 0.62) and larger population size (more than 100,000 inhabitants). Municipalities in the Northeast (HR = 1.220) and South (HR = 1.771) regions had a higher chance of reducing the number of teams compared with those in the North region. More unequal municipalities (HR = 6.405) and with larger population size (HR = 4.273) were also more likely to reduce the coverage of oral health teams. CONCLUSION The municipalities that reduced the number of oral health teams in the Family Health Strategy are from the South and Northeast regions, with greater social inequality and larger population size. This scenario can significantly affect the population's access to dental health services in the Unified Health System, especially among those in need.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Realizar um monitoramento do quantitativo de equipes de saúde bucal implantadas na Estratégia Saúde da Família após a Política Nacional de Atenção Básica 2017. METODOLOGIA Estudo de natureza quantitativa, descritiva e analítica que utilizou os dados dos relatórios públicos do histórico de cobertura de saúde bucal disponível na plataforma e-Gestor da Atenção Básica do Ministério da Saúde de todos os municípios brasileiros (5.570). A sobrevida dos municípios que não reduziram o quantitativo de equipes de saúde bucal foi analisada segundo a região do país, índice de desenvolvimento humano, índice de desigualdade de Gini e porte populacional. A regressão de Cox foi utilizada para analisar os fatores associados à diminuição do número de equipes implantadas após 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 e 21 meses da publicação da portaria da política nacional de 2017, considerando-se a hazard ratio (HR) e p < 0,05. RESULTADOS Após 21 meses de publicação da política, 6,7% dos municípios brasileiros reduziram a quantidade de equipes de saúde bucal. Essa redução foi maior nas regiões Sul (6,7%) e Nordeste (4,8%), nos municípios com índice de desenvolvimento humano mais alto, ou seja, maior ou igual a 0,7 (5,6%), mais desiguais quanto à distribuição de renda (índice de Gini > 0,62) e de maior porte populacional (mais de 100.000 habitantes). Municípios das regiões Nordeste (HR = 1,220) e Sul (HR = 1,771) apresentaram maior chance de redução do número de equipes comparados aos da região Norte. Municípios mais desiguais (HR = 6,405) e com maior porte populacional (HR = 4,273) também apresentaram maior chance de reduzir a cobertura de equipes de saúde bucal. CONCLUSÃO Os municípios que reduziram a quantidade de equipes de saúde bucal na Estratégia Saúde da Família são das regiões Sul e Nordeste, com maior desigualdade social e maior porte populacional. Esse cenário pode impactar significativamente o acesso da população aos serviços de saúde bucal do Sistema Único de Saúde, principalmente entre os que mais necessitam.

Financing national policy on oral health in Brazil in the context of the Unified Health System

This article discusses the model of oral health care implemented in the Unified Health System of Brazil in the last decade. This model was conceived as a sub-sector policy that, over the years, has sought to improve the quality of life of the Brazilian population. Through a chronological line, the study presents the National Policy on Oral Health as a counter-hegemonic patient care model for the dentistry practices existing in the country before this policy was implemented. The reorganization of the levels of oral health care, the creation of reference facilities for secondary and tertiary care, through Centers of Dental Specialties and Regional Dental Prosthesis Laboratories, and the differential funding and decentralized management of financial resources were able to expand the actions of oral health for more than 90 million inhabitants. The evolution shown after the deployment of the National Oral Health Policy, as of 2004, demonstrates the greater integration of oral health care under the Unified Health System and provides feedback information to help this policy to continue to be prioritized by the Federal Government and receive more support from the state and local levels in the coming years.