Oral health-care practices and dental assistance management strategies for people with autism spectrum disorder: An integrative literature review

ABSTRACT

Autism spectrum disorder requires a careful approach from professionals and a favorable clinical environment for dental care and assistance. This article aims To perform a literature review about oral health among people with autism spectrum disorder and dental management strategies for this group. An integrative literature review was carried out in three databases, associating the descriptors: (autism or autism spectrum disorder) with (oral health or oral diseases) and (dental care or dental services). After identification and screening steps, 32 articles were included in the study. The most prevalent subjects were oral health conditions, parents’ understanding and practical attitudes about oral health, treatment and management strategies, and the use of technology. The principal barriers to dental care were the scarcity of specialized professionals, unpreparedness in the referral system, poor accessibility of the clinics, and lack of specific care protocols. The world literature on the subject is scarce, and there is still a need for investment and scientific production due to the incidence of autism in the world population and the maintenance of difficulties and barriers in offering quality health care to this group.

Surveillance and high vaccination coverage: how Portugal overcame the collapse and regained control of the pandemic

The uncertainties about COVID-19 require evaluating national responses to identify successes and failures in the pandemic control. This article analyzes Portugal´s response, particularly the contribution of its health and surveillance systems in dealing with the pandemic. An integrative literature review was conducted, including consultations of observatories, documents, and institutional websites. Portugal´s response was agile and showed unified technical and political coordination, including surveillance structure using telemedicine. The reopening was supported by high testing and low positivity rates and strict rules. However, the relaxation of measures as of November/2020 resulted in an increase in cases, collapsing the health system. The response involved a consistent surveillance strategy with innovative monitoring tools, which, combined with high population adherence to vaccination, led to overcoming that moment and kept hospitalization and death rates at new disease waves at low levels. Thus, the Portuguese case discloses the risks of disease resurgence with the flexibility of measures and the population´s exhaustion in the face of restrictive measures and new variants, but also the importance of articulation between technical coordination, the political sphere, and the scientific committee.

The social construction of the PrEP1519 study: conditions of possibility for advances in HIV/AIDS prevention

This paper analyzed the genesis of the PrEP1519 study and feasibility conditions for its construction. A qualitative-approach study was conducted using the Bourdieusian sociology framework to reconstruct the dynamics of the social environment where PrEP1519 emerged during 2015-2018. A document analysis and ten in-depth interviews were carried out to analyze the trajectory of the project. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was introduced in Brazil as a public policy in 2017. The lack of scientific evidence available among the adolescent population led to the development of a demonstrative cohort study, associated with an intervention, aimed at combining the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections at three sites in Brazil. PrEP1519 sought to generate evidence for global use and to help the Brazilian Ministry of Health apply PrEP among adolescents. The articulation of bureaucratic, scientific, and activist stakeholders enabled this study. The feasibility conditions for developing PrEP1519 included a favorable relationship of national organizations with international organizations, the favorable approach that public administrators had at the time towards new technologies and prevention strategies, the researchers’ previous experience in studies with the target population or with PrEP, articulation efforts with social movements, civil society organizations, and other public agencies, and the integration between scientific institutions, which allowed using international resources and developing a response to the problem. Completing this study at a moment when conservatism advances in Brazil demands that the scientific community and activists closely monitor and take stances on PrEP to ensure its availability for adolescents as a public policy.

The international response of primary health care to COVID-19: document analysis in selected countries

This study examines the primary health care (PHC) organization in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. This is a descriptive study based on the document analysis of the countries' responses to the coronavirus pandemic with emphasis on PHC. In various countries, there have been different organizations and impacts of strategies since they have conducted actions according to the local characteristics of disease transmission, demography, public health services organization, and health system's capacity and financing, especially in the PHC area. A significant change during the pandemic has been the increase in telephone and video consultations incorporating health information technology. An efficient PHC, guided by essential actions, achieves more suitable results. Also, each country's cumulative capacity or experience makes the difference facing the emerging demands on different health systems.

[History of fluoridation policies as a strategy by the Brazilian Legislative Branch to fight dental caries, 1963 to 2019]

The aim of this study was to analyze legislative proceedings on fluoridation policies in Brazil from 1963 to 2019. The theoretical reference was Pierre Bourdieu. A document search was performed on legislative proceedings that address the theme of fluoridation in Brazil as a public health measure and the discussions in the National Congress. The sources for the article were the official websites of the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) and the Senate to consult the legislative acts related to fluoridation in Brazil. The study showed that from 1963 to 2001 and in 2017 there was a dispute between fluoridation methods for the water supply, mineral water, and table salt fluoridation. However, there was a crosscutting understanding of the importance and benefits of systemic fluoride use. From 2003 to 2013, the bills challenged the use of systemic fluoride, proposing its use only in topical applications. In the 1960s, 1970, and 2017, the legislative bills showed a closer approach to the scientific field and were submitted by opposition members of Congress. Unlike the issue of water fluoridation, of the 6 legislative bills in favor of salt fluoridation, only one was drafted by a health professional da health, and only two by legislators from the Southeast region. There were more bills by legislators from the Central and Northeast. Those with training in health exhibited positions in defense of some method of systemic fluoridation. The analysis allowed interpreting the historical process of developing the response to the caries problem and the different strategies employed in this process.

Análise da produção científica sobre avaliação de políticas de saúde bucal no Brasil

RESUMO Com o objetivo de analisar as produções científicas sobre avaliação de políticas públicas em saúde bucal no Brasil, foi realizado um estudo bibliométrico das publicações entre janeiro/1980 e maio/2015, nas bases SciELO e BVS/Bireme/Opas. Foram incluídos 45 artigos em português e/ou inglês, sendo excluídos artigos em duplicidade e fora do tema. A classificação foi realizada por duas pesquisadoras quanto a desenho/estratégia de estudo, principais achados e características do estudo avaliativo segundo atributos para a pesquisa na área. Os artigos foram publicados entre 2002 e 2015. A região Sudeste (48,9%) e as instituições públicas (82,2%) respondem pela maior produção. A maior concentração de artigos estava em revistas Qualis A2 (48,9%). A maioria dos trabalhos (86,6%) era composta de estudos quantitativos, e a maior proporção tratava de cobertura e utilização (22,2%) e monitoramento de intervenções em saúde (20%). A principal característica dos estudos analisados relacionava-se com a disponibilidade e distribuição social dos recursos (64,4%). A produção na área vem sendo publicada em periódicos de relevância na saúde coletiva, o que confere a sua importância para compreensão da dinâmica da prestação do cuidado, como análise crítica e forma de apontar experiências exitosas e rumos a serem corrigidos nas políticas, conforme recomendado nas conferências de saúde bucal.

A política de saúde bucal em um município baiano: os agentes da burocracia estatal

RESUMO Este estudo buscou caracterizar os Coordenadores de Saúde Bucal (CSB) envolvidos na implantação da Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal (PNSB) em um município baiano, caso exemplar, entre 1997 e 2015. Foi realizado um estudo de caso com abordagem qualitativa, baseado no referencial bourdieusiano, por meio de entrevistas em profundidade com seis CSB, com média de 45 anos. Foram analisadas as suas trajetórias profissionais a partir das categorias: origem social, formação profissional, trajetória e inserção profissional e trajetória no campo burocrático. A maioria graduou-se em instituições públicas e apresentou trajetória ascendente no campo burocrático. A inserção na gestão foi influenciada pelas disposições, pela rede de relações e pelo desempenho profissional na Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF). A qualificação profissional parece ser aspecto diferenciador. A pós-graduação em saúde coletiva representou maior possibilidade de inserção na ESF. A equipe gestora manteve o exercício da clínica. O apoio da gestão municipal e da saúde foi ressaltado por quase todos os entrevistados. A PNSB contribuiu para expansão da rede de saúde bucal, contudo, as principais proposições já estavam implantadas anteriormente. Evidencia-se a importância da gestão na implantação da PNSB e recomenda-se a realização de análise semelhante de outros casos para identificação de regularidades que contribuam para a explicação dos diferentes graus de implementação dessa política.

Política de Saúde Bucal no Brasil: as transformações no período 2015-2017

RESUMO Este estudo analisou a implementação da Política de Saúde Bucal no Brasil entre 2015 e 2017 em quatro componentes: ações institucionais, implantação, financiamento e resultados. Foram realizados acompanhamento dos sites do Ministério da Saúde (MS) e coleta de dados secundários sobre ações institucionais do MS, implantação dos serviços de Atenção Básica e Atenção Especializada, resultados alcançados (cobertura da primeira consulta odontológica, média de ação coletiva de escovação supervisionada e tratamentos especializados) e financiamento. Entre 2015 e 2017, houve aumento de 5,8% no número de Equipes de Saúde Bucal e de 6,4% no número de Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas. A cobertura de primeira consulta odontológica programática decresceu no período de 14,6% em 2015, para 10,5% em 2016 e 8,3% em 2017. Houve redução discreta do financiamento federal no ano de 2017, quando comparado a 2016. Verificou-se, em 2016, um cenário político restritivo para a saúde bucal na menor implantação de novos serviços, com mudanças sucessivas na coordenação nacional da política. É necessário aprofundar o estudo sobre o financiamento da política, visto que o aporte financeiro de 2016-2017 não está coerente com o pouco avanço na implantação e tendência de manutenção de resultados, com queda de indicadores específicos, como o de primeira consulta odontológica programática.

[Telehealth as state response strategy: systematic reviewLa telesalud como estrategia de respuesta del Estado: revisión sistemática]

Objective

To identify telehealth initiatives described in the literature as a strategy for national health policies.

Method

A systematic review was performed to identify articles focusing on the use of telehealth as a state response strategy to health problems or needs. The Virtual Health Library, PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched using the following keywords: "telessaude politicas", "implantacao telessaude", "telehealth policy", "telehealth America", "telehealth Asia", "telehealth Antartida", "telehealth Europe", "telehealth Africa", "telehealth Oceania". Data collection was performed from March 2016 to February 2017.

Results

Twenty-one articles describing telehealth initiatives in various countries, published in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, were analyzed. Concentration of studies on specific areas or regions was not detected. Most articles were published from 2014 to 2017. Telehealth initiatives have been used mainly to decrease health costs, for continued education of health care professionals, consultations between health care professionals, to strengthen primary health care, and to improve the access to health care in remote areas.

Conclusions

Telehealth is used as state policy across the five continents, with variations in the degree of implementation. The main differences in telehealth among countries refer to infrastructure, financing, engagement of patients and caretakers, and position of the state regarding the role of telehealth.

Oral health policy in Brazil between 2003 and 2014: scenarios, proposals, actions, and outcomes

This study examined the implementation of Brazil's National Oral Health Policy by the three governments during the period 2003 to 2014. It provides a general overview of oral health care scenarios and examines institutional proposals and actions developed by the executive branch based on the components of the health care system. A documental analysis was conducted using documents produced by key government agencies. The findings show that there was an increase in the provision and coverage of public dental services between 2003 and 2006 and that rates were maintained to a certain degree in subsequent periods (2007 to 2010 and 2011 to 2014). There was an expansion in government funding, human resources and infrastructure. The amount of funds transferred to state and local governments increased from 83.4 million in 2003 to 916 million in 2014, equivalent to a 10.9 fold increase. However, the use of public dental services remained stable, with only a slight increase from 29.7% in 2003 to 30.7% in 2008, while private service utilization increased from 64.4% in 2003 to 74.3% in 2013. The care model component was given lowest priority by the three governments. This shortcoming influences policy effectiveness and requires the adoption of future measures by healthcare managers and officials to correct the situation.

A terapia antirretroviral combinada, a política de controle da Aids e as transformações do Espaço Aids no Brasil dos anos 1990

RESUMO Estudo sócio-histórico, utilizando o referencial teórico de Bourdieu, que analisou as condições de possibilidade para a construção da estratégia de distribuição universal de Antirretrovirais (ARV) no Brasil e as transformações do Espaço Aids. A oferta de ARV não era uma proposta inicial e resultou da pressão dos movimentos sociais, mas também do campo médico e da mídia. Mais tarde, a partir da articulação entre militantes da Reforma Sanitária, foi elaborado o projeto de lei que proporcionou uma situação diferenciada de acesso a ARV, impôs importantes transformações no Espaço Aids e sepultou a possibilidade de uma política de controle da Aids sem acesso ou com acesso restrito a ARV.

The genesis of the AIDS policy and AIDS Space in Brazil (1981-1989)

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the genesis of the policy for controlling AIDS in Brazil.

METHODS

Socio-historical study (1981-1989), based on Bordieu’s genetic sociology, by document analysis, bibliographical review, and in-depth interviews. It consisted of a connection between the analysis of the paths of 33 agents involved in the creation of a social space focusing on AIDS-related issues and the historical possibility conditions of the drafting of a specific policy.

RESULTS

AIDS Space is a gathering point for the paths of agents from several social fields (medical, scientific, political, and bureaucratic fields). A specific space for relationships, which enabled the drafting of a policy for controlling the AIDS epidemic, but also a place where the authority to talk about the meaning of the disease, the methods to prevent and treat it was under dispute. The analysis showed how the various structures (democratic administrations in Sao Paulo and at the national level, with public health officers taking important positions) and the lack of a specific therapy contributed to social agents of different ranks and backgrounds to initially set prevention as a priority.

CONCLUSIONS

The rise of the sanitary movement, the organization of SUS, and the dominance of the medical field at the AIDS Space contributed to foster treatment as a part of the measures to control the epidemic. These conditions allowed drafting a policy based on the integrality of care, by linking prevention and treatment in the following decade, with important participation from state bureaucracy and researchers.

Avaliação da oferta e utilização de especialidades odontológicas em serviços públicos de atenção secundária na Bahia, Brasil

O estudo visou avaliar a taxa de utilização dos serviços odontológicos especializados de quatro CEOs da Bahia, Brasil, identificando fatores relacionados. Trata-se de uma pesquisa avaliativa onde a etapa quantitativa foi conduzida através de um estudo transversal utilizando dados secundários do Sistema de Informações Ambulatoriais do Sistema Único de Saúde (SIA-SUS) e a qualitativa foi a partir de vinte entrevistas semi-estruturadas junto aos coordenadores e executores, além de observação in loco do serviço. O estudo revelou bons resultados na oferta desse serviço na percepção dos profissionais, mas há uma baixa taxa de utilização. A baixa taxa de utilização revela barreiras de acesso do próprio serviço de saúde, como a ausência de padrões e metas de desempenho por especialidade, a falta dos pacientes, que não são substituídos, além das diferentes tecnologias utilizadas por cada especialista. Sugerem-se estudos que analisem diferentes formas de organização do serviço que tenham possibilitado maior utilização da oferta disponível, como diferenças de remuneração, articulação com atenção primária e adequação da oferta às necessidades de saúde populacionais.

Brazilian Oral Health Policy: factors associated with comprehensiveness in health care

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the factors associated with comprehensiveness in oral health care in Centers of Dental Specialists, according to the guiding principles of the Brazilian Oral Health Policy.

METHODS

An exploratory cross-sectional study, based on an interview with 611 users of four specialized dental care centers, was performed in the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil, in 2008. The dependent variable was described as "comprehensiveness in oral health care", corresponding to having a primary dental care performed before specialized treatment or concomitantly with it. The main covariables referred to the level of coverage of the family health strategy in the city, users' sociodemographic characteristics, and organizational and geographic accessibility to the service, in addition to the type of specialized care required.

RESULTS

Residents of the cities where the Family Healthcare Program had a coverage >50% were more likely to conclude their dental treatment (PR=2.03, 95% CI: 1.33;3.09), compared to those who lived in places with lower coverage. Individuals who sought endodontic treatment were more likely to receive comprehensive oral health care than users who were seeking other types of specialized care (PR=2.31, 95% CI: 1.67;3.19). Users with better geographic accessibility to specialized services (PR=1.22, 95% CI: 1.03;1.41), with a reference guide from primary care (PR=2.95, 95% CI: 1.82;4.78) and coming from primary health care services (PR=3.13, 95% CI: 1.70;5.77) were more likely to achieve comprehensiveness in oral health care than other users.

CONCLUSIONS

Users with better geographic accessibility, lower age and need of endodontic services were more likely to receive comprehensive health care. Implementation of Centers of Dental Specialists in cities where primary healthcare is not adequately structured is not recommended, because secondary health care would meet the free demand and perform basic procedures, thus not fulfilling the expected principle of comprehensiveness.

Maus-tratos: estudo através da perspectiva da delegacia de proteção à criança e ao adolescente em Salvador, Bahia

Este estudo transversal descreve a ocorrência de maus-tratos em uma delegacia de proteção a crianças e adolescentes em Salvador, Bahia, entre 1997 e 1999. Dados sociodemográficos e físicos das vítimas, agressores e denunciantes foram investigados a partir de uma amostra de 2.073 casos. As vítimas apresentaram idades entre 0 e 18 anos, 56,1% do sexo feminino. De todas as manifestações de maus-tratos, exceto o abuso físico, prevaleceram as sobre o sexo feminino. O subgrupo de pré-adolescentes foi o mais atingido. O tipo de maltrato mais freqüente foi o abuso físico (64,7%). Lesões corporais ocorreram em 22,2% dos casos, a maioria concentrando-se na cabeça e pescoço (65,3%). Observou-se intensa participação do sexo masculino entre os agressores (71,8%). Houve correlação positiva entre sexo feminino e abuso sexual e o sexo masculino e abuso físico, inclusive de forma mais severa em relação à presença de lesões corporais. As denúncias foram feitas pelos pais das vítimas (72,9%), sendo o sexo feminino mais freqüente. Neste estudo, não foi identificada nenhuma denúncia realizada pelos profissionais de saúde, refletindo maior necessidade de comprometimento destes na problemática, conforme as recomendações da política de redução da morbimortalidade por acidentes e violência.