Associação entre local de moradia e uso dos serviços odontológicos públicos por adolescentes na coorte de nascimentos em 2004 no município de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the use of oral health services and the relationship with available public services. This is an analytical cross-sectional study with 11-year follow-up data from the 2004 Pelotas birth cohort. For the georeferencing of the studied sample, a Geographic Information System, called QGIS, and postal address codes were used. The territories covered by the Basic Health Units were delimited, using the census sectors of the municipality as a reference. To characterize the public services present, a spreadsheet made available by the Municipal Health Department was used. Maps were constructed and the homes of the study participants were included in the QGIS and geographic data was combined with information related to the organization of services and with the study variables of each cohort participant (n = 1702). Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate data analysis was performed. It was possible to identify an association between regular use of dental services and territory, where the individual living in an area with the presence of public oral health service was a protective factor (PR 0.95; 95% CI 0.91-0.99; p = 0.014), ie there was less access to dental appointments, even after controlling for other variables. Thus, it is necessary to identify other aspects that prevent the reduction of mandatory inequalities in the territory. Professionals need to be used to capture users from areas at greatest risk, in order to ensure better use and reduce inequalities between vulnerable groups. Managers need to organize services by scheduling a progressive expansion as well as directing public resources to dental care.