[Incidence of dental caries in a child population from Mostoles: evaluation of a preventive program after 2 years]

[Research on health education and promotion in Spanish nursery and primary schools. A systematic review of studies published between 1995 and 2005]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the characteristics of health education and promotion interventions in Spanish nursery and primary schools, through the studies published in scientific journals.

METHOD

We performed a review of studies on health education and promotion interventions in Spanish nursery and primary schools, published from 1995 to 2005. The information sources were Medline (through Pubmed), Cinhal, Eric, Sociological Abstracts, Science Citation Index, and Isooc (CSIC). Studies performed in Spanish nursery and primary schools that incorporated health education and promotion interventions were selected. The studies' general features, main subject and aims, methodology, the kind of intervention described, and compliance with the criteria for Healthy Schools were analyzed.

RESULTS

Only 26 of the 346 articles identified met the inclusion criteria. Health education programs focussed more on disease prevention than on health promotion and only a few studies were performed in nursery and primary schools. The criteria for health promotion in schools were included in 5 articles (19.2%). The importance of health institutions (n = 7; 26.9%) and universities (n = 8; 30.8%) as promoters of programs was notable. The most frequent subject was smoking (n = 11; 42.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Teachers play a lesser role in health promotion in schools than health institutions in the implementation and dissemination of health programs. Research into health promotion in nursery and primary schools is scarce.

[Effectiveness of fissure sealants in child population at high risk of caries]

OBJECTIVES

To asses the effectiveness of fissure sealants in a high risk infant population and to evaluate the criteria to determine when to apply them.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Primary care.

PARTICIPANTS

607 scholars that are included at the age of 6 years and followed for 4,5 years.Intervention. We have defined three groups. Groups I and II were included in a dental preventive program with and without fissure sealants in the first permanent molars, respectively, and group III received no preventive measures at all.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

The dental explorations according to WHO recommendations were conducted before entering the study, at the age of six years, after the fissure sealant were applied, at the age of eight years and finally 4.5 years after the beginning.

RESULTS

After 4.5 years group I had a CAOD index of 0.59, group II 0.79 and group III 1.52 (P<.001). Group III has 2.57 times greater risk the group I of suffering caries in the permanent teeth.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of occlusive fissure sealant in the first permanent molar of an infant high risk population has a protective effect on dental caries. Therefore occlusive fissure sealant should be offered to all scholars because those without neither the preventive program nor occlusive fissure sealant had a significantly higher risk of caries.

[What is the best way to recruit patients for primary care programs of children's oral health?]

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the results obtained by two systems of recruiting patients in terms of: number of patients recruited, number of consultations requested, and number of half-yearly check-ups performed.

DESIGN

Retrospective and observational.

SETTING

Primary care.

PATIENTS

1868 school-children from 6 to 14 in the Burela Health Area (Lugo).

MAIN RESULTS

The system based on the health centre recruited 616 children and led to 759 requests for consultation; whereas the system based on the school recruited 1252 children and 507 requests (123% vs 40%; p < 0.05). 23% of the school-children attended their half-yearly check-up under the first system, while 21% did so under the second.

CONCLUSIONS

Check-ups of children at the health centre in their parents' presence seems to answer better the objective of introducing the bucco-dental health programme into the Health Area's child population.