Perfil Epidemiológico dos usuários dos serviços de diagnóstico bucal, no Norte e região metropolitana do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil : estudo Interinstitucional

Abstract

The SUS (Brazilian Public Health Care System) has reached important advancements in the development of its basic guidelines: universalization, integrality, decentralization, and popular participation. It is necessary to know the profile of the users of the oral health care services in order to plan the access and medical care with quality and resolubility. This study was aimed at assessing – in an interinstitutional approach – the characteristics of the access to the stomatology service of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros and of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Such services constitute reference in serving patients with oral lesions in the North of State of Minas Gerais and in the metropolitan region of this state, respectively. A transversal study was carried out in which an individual questionnaire was applied to 200 users of both services (50% in each one). The following points were evaluated: social-economical and demographic aspects, the person who identified the lesion, physical access, awareness of the service, resolubility of the problem, and use of self-medication before medical visit, time elapsed between emergence of lesion and medical visit. Questionnaires were applied, and a database was set; for statistical treatment an SPSS 15 program was used. Regarding gender, the sample population composition was 61.5% female, and 38.5% male. Age range was 18–88 years old (average 47.57 years). Schooling: 60.5% had finished elementary school; only 2% had a university degree. The monthly income ranged 1 – 3 Brazilian minimum wages for most people (56.5%). Dentists referred 70% of the interviewees, and 54.5% of them had identified the lesion by themselves. The interval elapsed between the emergence of lesion and the medical visit was six months for 57% of the interviewees, and over six months for 43% of them. The resolubility was 93% for the users in both health care services in spite of their low awareness regarding the service (87%). Previous self-medication was reported by 39.5% of the interviewees. It was concluded that a better announcement of the services is essential for diagnosis and treatment this patients.