Crise econômica, austeridade e seus efeitos sobre o financiamento e acesso a serviços públicos e privados de saúde bucal

Evolution of orthodontic services in the Brazilian Unified Health System: a time series analysis (2011-2022)

BACKGROUND

Although malocclusion is the third most prevalent oral health condition, orthodontics is not part of the minimum list of mandatory specialties to be offered in the Dental Specialty Centers of the Brazilian public health system, but rather as optional. Since the acknowledgment of this field as a part of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), access to orthodontic procedures has become optional by municipal governments. Therefore, this study analyzed the evolution of orthodontic procedure provision within SUS from 2011 to 2022.

METHODOLOGY

We conducted a retrospective observational study of time series analysis trends on the number of orthodontic procedures and municipalities offering them. The presentation of findings followed the recommendations of the Reporting of Studies Conducted using Observational Routinely Collected Data. Secondary data from 2011 to 2022 were collected from the SUS Department of Informatics. Orthodontic procedures were organized by year, region, state, and municipality. The study applied descriptive analyses, and the Prais-Winsten generalized linear regressions for time series analysis.

RESULTS

The quantity of municipalities offering orthodontic procedures have shown a small increasing during period analyzed (from 128 to 157). Northeast and South macro-regions have increased consistently the municipalities with orthodontic offering. All regions showed stable trends for each procedure, except for the South, which exhibited increasing rates of space maintainer placement (Annual Percentage Change (APC): 72.95; 95% CI: 31.6, 127.3) and maintenance sessions (APC: 15.40; 95% CI: 4.5, 27.5). The study showed decreasing trends for appliance removal in the South (APC: -38.07; 95% CI: -47.1, -27.5) and Northeast (APC: -25.19; 95% CI: -36.5, -11.9) regions.

CONCLUSION

From 2011 to 2022, there was a small increase in number of municipalities offering orthodontic procedures in the Brazilian public health system, in addition to a stationary trend for almost all types of procedures.

Performance of primary health care in São Paulo state, Brazil, during the period 2010-2019

This article presents the results of an analysis of the performance of primary health care in São Paulo state over the last decade against a backdrop of financial crisis and health funding cuts. We conducted a time series analysis (2010-2019) of performance indicators across the following dimensions based on an adapted conceptual framework: health service performance, health system, and determinants of health. Annual percentage change was calculated for each indicator using a log-linear model. Performance across the indicators was generally positive; however, there was a decline in performance across indicators of quality of care (congenital syphilis, cesarean section rate and cervical cancer screening). The findings also show a potential rise in demand for public services (due to population aging and a reduction in the percentage of the population with private health insurance) and increase in health expenditure against a backdrop of falling GDP per capita.

Oral Health Policy in Brazil: changes and ruptures during the period 2018-2021

This study analyzed the implementation of Brazil's National Oral Health Policy during the period 2018-2021, covering institutional actions, implementation of public dental services, results achieved, and federal funding. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study using documentary analysis and secondary data obtained from institutional websites, government information systems, and reports published by dental organizations. The findings show a significant reduction in funding between 2020 and 2021 and declining performance against indicators since 2018, such as coverage of first dental appointments and group supervised tooth brushing, which stood at 1.8% and 0.02%, respectively, in 2021. Federal funding dropped in 2018 and 2019 (8.45%), followed by an increase in 2020 (59.53%) and decrease in 2021 (-5.18%). The study period was marked by economic and political crises aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This context influenced the functioning of health services in Brazil. There was a sharp reduction in performance against oral health indicators, while performance in primary health care and specialized care services remained stable.

Theorization about the limits to the inclusion of oral health teams in the Family Health Strategy

This study aimed to theorize, by means of social actors' conception, about the reasons for the non-inclusion of oral health in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and analytical study based on the grounded theory methodology and the National Oral Health Policy. Eleven interviews were performed with public managers, delegates who participate in the municipal health council, and dental surgeons who belong to the public health service. The theorization of the study was created through the data analysis process, which resulted in "a consequence of the dominant disease-centered oral health care model" as the main category. Data were categorized according to a methodological framework. The health concept set forth by local social actors contributed to the non-inclusion of oral healthcare teams (OHTs) in the FHS. This theorization identified the origins of the studied phenomenon and can aid in future policy decision-making carried out by local social actors.

Prevenção e controle do câncer bucal: contribuição da Comissão Intergestores Bipartite no estado do Rio de Janeiro

RESUMO A ampliação do acesso à prevenção e controle do câncer bucal demanda a construção de uma rede intermunicipal de cuidado e a Comissão Intergestores Bipartite (CIB) tem papel central nesse processo. Objetiva-se analisar, sob a ótica da Teoria da Estruturação, a participação da CIB na estruturação da prevenção e controle do câncer bucal no Sistema Único de Saúde, no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Realizou-se um estudo de caso exploratório, com análise de documentos da CIB do Rio de Janeiro entre 1996 e 2019. A coleta dos dados foi realizada no primeiro trimestre de 2020. Foram analisados 739 documentos pelas categorias: Constituição da rede de saúde; Financiamento das ações de saúde; Qualificação profissional em saúde. As discussões na CIB se mostraram limitadas devido uma característica mais municipalista e menos regionalizada no estado. O acesso ao tratamento rendeu debates que contribuíram com a expansão, mesmo que limitada, da rede hospitalar e com a reorganização da regulação. Identificou-se que esse espaço formal de negociação e decisão intergestores se transformou em um espaço meramente informativo ou deliberativo pro forma, o que traz limitações para estruturação das ações regionais de prevenção e controle do câncer bucal no estado do Rio de Janeiro.

The Use of Fluorides in Public Health: 65 Years of History and Challenges from Brazil

Untreated dental caries is the most common disease globally and fluoride use at the population level is crucial for its control. To investigate the economic and political conditions under which the trajectory of population-based fluoride use has occurred is key for a more comprehensive view on its current and future challenges. The objective was to give a brief history and summarize the information on the use of fluorides at the population level in Brazil from 1952 to 2017 and to point to current and future challenges. A critical overview was undertaken based on country-level analyses comprising political and economic conditions. The analytical approach adopted a set of premises applicable to the study of capitalist democracies. Fluoride methods of systemic and topic use began to be employed in Brazilian public health programs in the 1950s and in a combined way from 1974. Differences in political and economic contexts were highlighted for four periods: the first interventions from 1952 to 1974, when the fluoridated water law was approved; the expansion after 1974 until 1988, when a new constitution was enacted; the following time until 2010; and the final period. From the 1980s to 2008, water fluoridation coverage increased progressively, consolidating as a major strategy of systemic use in spite of inequalities among territories. Activities aimed to promote access to topical fluoride use increased and maintained stability until 2014, when they dropped sharply. Regulation of fluoride dentifrice's quality remained insufficient. It was hypothesized that the strengthening of conservative liberalism and the increase in fiscal austerity observed in recent years might produce serious constraints on public investment and limit access to fluorides. To reduce inequities and promote benefits for all, including the most vulnerable groups, policies based on egalitarian and social justice theoretical perspectives are needed more than ever.

[Times series of dental emergency attendance in Brazil between 2008 and 2015]

The option to use emergency dental services is dependent upon the social, epidemiological and organizational conditions of the health services. In order to evaluate the specific emergency indicators in the care network for understanding access and performance, a time series study of emergency dental care according to the codes of care by health facilities in Brazil from 2008 to 2015 was carried out. Health services were grouped into primary and secondary care points and total services. Secondary services were subdivided into specialized and hospital services. The primary care group accounted for 72.75% of the emergency care and the mean of the standardized rate of total emergencies was 0.04 visits per inhabitant. The trend for total services was stable, though there was growth in primary health care services (5.58%/year). The results highlight the participation of primary health care services in the care of dental emergencies, followed by specialized and hospital services, which is in line with the assumption of the inverse relationship between the capacity of emergency dental care service and its technological density.

Financing of health and the fiscal dependency of Brazilian municipalities between 2004 and 2019

This article describes the evolution of municipal financing of the Unified Health System, from 2004 to 2019, considering revenues and expenses from own and non-own sources, analyzes fiscal redistribution, according to population size and average household income, and compares this evolution in two periods, characterized as economic growth (2004-2014) and recession (2015-2019). The study was based on data from the Information System on Public Health Budgets. There was real growth in municipal spending on health from 2004 to 2014 (156.3%), with a drop between 2014 and 2015, followed by a recovery between 2015 and 2019. During the recession period, there was an overall increase in the fiscal dependence of municipalities, indicated by the increase in non-own revenues, even with the decrease in the Federal Government participation in transfers. The growth of own health expenses was lower among municipalities with lower household income, while for non-own expenses it was higher in municipalities with a smaller population size. In short, the results indicate a process of increasing municipal spending on health, as well as the increased fiscal dependence of municipalities to fund health, intensified after the 2015 crisis, which especially affected small and lower income municipalities.

‘Bocas trabalhadoras’ e os reparos possíveis em tempos de pandemia

Resumo Neste artigo, o objetivo foi realizar uma análise crítica da relação entre saúde bucal e trabalho. A reflexão emergiu do aumento expressivo na busca por atendimentos de urgência odontológica em uma unidade básica de saúde durante a pandemia pelo coronavírus, em que os sujeitos apresentavam algo em comum: a demissão de seus empregos em fábricas de calçados. Com apoio na teoria social crítica, efetuou-se uma análise sobre como o trabalho, entendido como categoria fundante do ser social, tem o seu sentido esvaziado nas sociedades capitalistas, operando mais como um obstáculo à saúde bucal na dinâmica do trabalho assalariado e alienado. Isso porque pôde-se perceber que os sujeitos recém-desempregados acumulavam diversas necessidades em saúde bucal, como infecções e inflamações que causavam sofrimentos, até então internalizados e escondidos para que pudessem manter seus empregos em um contexto de desemprego iminente, possibilitando assim que pudessem seguir reproduzindo a sua vida material. Pensar a relação entre saúde bucal e trabalho nos aproxima da compreensão do processo saúde-doença como socialmente determinado, quando as relações de trabalho explorado se materializam nas ‘bocas trabalhadoras’. Desse modo, vislumbra-se a democratização do acesso à saúde bucal entendida como o direito a uma vida plena.

Crise econômica e disparidades no gasto, oferta e utilização de serviços públicos e privados de saúde no Brasil no período entre 2011 e 2019

Buscou-se analisar as repercussões da crise econômica sobre os setores público e privado do sistema de saúde brasileiro e realizar uma análise de tendência de indicadores econômicos e assistenciais, elaborados a partir de dados secundários de fontes públicas oficiais, relacionados ao gasto, ao desempenho econômico de planos e seguros de saúde, à oferta e utilização de serviços. Os resultados demonstraram estagnação do gasto público em saúde, redução do gasto público per capita e do acesso aos serviços públicos de saúde. Contrariamente, em um contexto de queda da renda e do emprego, os planos de saúde mantiveram clientes, ampliaram as receitas, os lucros e a produção assistencial. O desempenho positivo das empresas, antes e a partir da crise, pode ser explicado pela tendência de manutenção de subsídios públicos para o setor privado e pelas estratégias empresariais financeirizadas. Conclui-se que a atuação do Estado brasileiro durante a crise aprofundou a restrição de recursos ao setor público e favoreceu a expansão dos serviços privados, o que contribuiu para aumentar a discrepância no acesso a serviços públicos e privados de saúde no país.

Socioeconomic inequalities in the use of dental services in Brazil: an analysis of the 2019 National Health Survey

OBJECTIVE

To describe the prevalence of use of dental services in Brazil according to states and the Federal District and its relationship with socioeconomic variables and types of services, based on the 2019 National Health Survey.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional population-based study using data from the 2019 National Health Survey, which included 88,531 participants aged 18 or older. We assessed variables related to the use of dental health services according to sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics through multivariate analysis, using a Poisson regression model with robust variance.

RESULTS

The use of dental services in the year prior to the interview was higher among adults (53.2%, confidence interval - 95%CI 52.5-53.9) than older adults (34.3%, 95%CI 33.2-34.4). The multivariate analysis revealed that the use of dental services was greater in people with better schooling (prevalence ratio - PR=2.02, 95%CI 1.87-2.18) and higher income (PR=1.54, 95%CI 1.45-1.64). States from the Southeast, Midwest, and South regions presented the highest percentages of individuals who visited a dentist in the previous year - between 49.0 and 57.6% of the population.

CONCLUSION

Inequalities were found in the use of dental health services among the adult and older adult population, with regional differences; the use was higher among women, younger individuals, those with better schooling, higher income, healthier behaviors, better self-perceived oral health status, and who paid for their last dental treatment.

Contextual determinants for use of dental services according to different healthcare financing systems: Andersen's model

OBJECTIVES

To explore contextual factors associated with overall dental service use, and investigate whether these factors influenced choice of the type of service according to the healthcare financing alternatives (public services; out-of-pocket services; and private health insurance), by adults and older individuals, based on the most recent Andersen's behavioural model.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study with individual data on 17,305 adults from 177 Brazilian municipalities in the National Oral Health Survey (SBBrasil 2010). Municipal-level information was obtained from health information systems and census data. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression was carried out for multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

In the previous year, 38.2% of the individuals visited the dentist; of which 21.4% used out-of-pocket spending, 11.6% used public services and 5.2% private dental insurance. Municipalities with population coverage of public primary dental care >80% had higher chances of using public services (OR = 1.28, 95%CI:1.00-1.64) than those with ≤60%, but lower chances of using private insurance (OR = 0.56, 95%CI:0.38-0.83). Municipalities with population coverage of private dental insurance > 5% had lower chances of using public services (OR = 0.62, 95%CI:0.47-0.81) than those with <1% coverage, and greater chances of using private insurance (OR = 4.33, CI:95% 2.02-9.29). These factors were not associated with out-of-pocket dental services.

CONCLUSIONS

Municipal coverage of dental services is associated with dental care use, and this is different according to the type of financing system (public or private), as they may change the individual's choice of service. A large public healthcare system may increase public service use for those with reduced access and decrease private service use.

Socioeconomic indicators and economic investments influence oral cancer mortality in Latin America

BACKGROUND

It is necessary to recognize the influence of socioeconomic factors on oral cancer indicators in Latin American countries. This study aimed to analyze the influence of socioeconomic indicators and economical investments on oral cancer mortality rates in Latin American countries.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study considered the age-standardized mortality rate (ASR) of oral cancer within the period 2000-2015. The oral cancer mortality rate (for both sexes and age groups 40-59 and 60 years old or more), socioeconomic aspects (Gini Inequality Index, unemployment rate and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita) and investments in different sectors (%GDP invested in health per capita and by the government, %GDP invested in education by the government and %GDP invested in research and development) were considered. Tweedie multivariate regression was used to estimate the effect of independent variables on the mortality rate of oral cancer, considering p < 0.05.

RESULTS

This study showed that being male and aged 60 or over (PR = 14.7) was associated with higher mortality rate for oral cancer. In addition, greater inequality (PR = 1.05), higher health expenditure per capita (PR =1.09) and greater investment in research and development (PR = 1.81) were associated with a higher mortality rate from oral cancer.

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic factors and economical investments influence the mortality rate of oral cancer in Latin American countries. This emphasizes oral cancer is a socioeconomic-mediated disease.

Practice-based analysis of direct posterior dental restorations performed in a public health service: Retrospective long-term survival in Brazil

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the survival and associated factors for the longevity of direct posterior restorations and to verify whether the geographic location of public health units could influence the long-term survival of such restorations. Data were extracted from electronic patient files of the Brazilian public oral health services. The sample comprised 2,405 class I and II restorations performed 4 to 24 years ago (mean, 8.9 years) in 351 patients (6.8 teeth/patient) across 12 public health units located in different city regions (42 professionals—55 restorations). The restoration was considered successful if it had not been repaired or replaced at the time of evaluation; failure was defined as replacement of the restoration, the need for endodontic treatment, tooth/restoration fracture or tooth extraction. Data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier test for restoration survival and Cox regression to evaluate the factors associated with failure. The majority of the restorations involved the use of amalgam (85%), involved a single face (70%), and were without pulp/dentin capping (85%). The overall survival rate was 95%, and the mean observation time was 8.9 years. The restoration survival was 79% (95% CI: 60.6–89.5) over 24 years, and the mean survival time was 22.2 years (95% CI: 21.9–22.6 years). The annual failure rate up to 24 years was 0.9%. After the adjustment, only the number of restored faces and the geographic location where the restoration was performed remained associated with failure of the restoration. The direct posterior restorations performed at the evaluated public health service units presented high survival rates. The restorations of people with lower access to POHS had lower survival rates. Class I restorations presented higher survival rates than class II restorations with two or more faces, regardless of the restorative material used.