Demand for health services or professionals among Brazilian adolescents according to the National School Health Survey 2015

Social inequalities in indicators of use of healthcare services by adolescents in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of indicators of use of healthcare services according to sex, income and race/skin color, in adolescents (aged 10-19 years old) based on data from the Health Survey of the Municipality of Campinas (ISACamp), carried out in 2014/2015 in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences between the outcome variables (indicators of use of healthcare service) and sex, income and race/skin color. Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated using Poisson multiple regression models. The demand for medical care was high in the last year of the interview (79.2%), mostly attended by the Brazilian Unified National Health System (65.2%), with routine consultations being more prevalent for females (PR = 1.17; 95%CI: 1.01-1.34) and injury for the male population (PR = 0.47; 95%CI: 0.26-0.84). Economic and racial differences were found in the evaluation of the last medical consultation, with a higher prevalence of worse care among those with lower income (PR = 1.46; 95%CI: 1.14-1.87) and black people (PR = 1.27; 95%CI: 1.01-1.61). Inequalities remained for delay or failure to carry out exams (PR = 1.64; 95%CI: 1.02-2.64) and worse quality of dental care (PR = 2.10; 95%CI: 1.38-3.21) in those with lower income. Also, black people had fewer appointments with dentists (PR = 0.90; 95%CI: 0.82-0.99).

[Contextual characteristics and demand for health services among Brazilian adolescents: Brazilian National Health Survey, 2019]

This study aimed to describe the prevalence of demand for health services among Brazilian adolescents and to investigate its association with contextual characteristics of the territory. Study with data from the Brazilian National Health Survey, conducted in 2019, including 43,774 individuals aged from 10 to 19 years. Adolescent's information was obtained through a proxy resident of 18 years or more who answered for all the residents of the household. Poisson regression was used to assess the demand for health services according to geopolitical region, economic status, and type of municipality. The interaction of the health insurance was also evaluated in these associations. Of the total, 11.7% (95%CI: 11.1; 12.3) of the adolescents sought health services in the two weeks prior to the survey. Greater figures of demand were observed in the Southeast (PR = 1.32; 95%CI: 1.15; 1.52) and South regions (PR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.13; 1.52) compared to the Northern Region of Brazil. Having a health insurance increased the demand for services by adolescents living in rural areas and in capitals and the municipalities of the Metropolitan Areas and/or Integrated Development Regions. The study showed a low prevalence of demand for health services among adolescents and contextual inequalities for the geopolitical region. Having a health insurance was an important marker to understand the disparities in the economic status and in the type of municipality.

Racial variations in tooth pain and care-seeking in adolescents in Malaysia

Objective

Tooth pain among adolescents is a common event that impacts substantially on quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of race in the tooth pain experience and associated care-seeking.

Design

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 14–18 years from four different public schools in Kuala Lumpur. Socio-demographic, pain symptoms, and social impacts data were collected as well as medication use and visiting a dentist for tooth pain.

Results

Of 1473 questionnaires distributed, 1452 (98.6%) completed questionnaires were returned, with 269 (18.5%) reported having experienced tooth pain in the past 1 month. Those who identified as Indian (26.1%) were more likely to report tooth pain compared to Chinese (16.5%) and Malay (20.9%). In regression analysis, no factors were identified as independently associated with medication use, but Chinese and Indians compared to Malays, and those expressing difficulty sleeping were more likely to report visiting a dentist for treatment.

Conclusion

Racial variations in the tooth pain experience and care-seeking have been identified. This may be related to socio-economic status, but further research is needed on the role of culture-related care-seeking and accessibility of dental services.

Global and regional estimates of dental pain among children and adolescents-systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

We aimed to evaluate the pooled prevalence of dental pain amongst children and adolescents.

METHODS

Studies conducted in children and adolescents up to18 years of age and where prevalence of dental is reported or calculated were included. Search was performed in four major databases from inception to June 1st, 2019. Prevalence estimate at the maximal recall for the dental pain for the individual study was used to calculate the overall pooled estimate.

RESULTS

The prevalence of dental pain ranged from 1.33 to 87.8% in the included publications for quantitative synthesis (n = 97). More than half of the publications reported the lifetime prevalence of dental pain (n = 51) while few studies reported the current prevalence of dental pain (n = 3) and only one study evaluated the dental pain in the past one week. Heterogeneity was high among the included publications (Q = 49,063.12; P < 0.001; df = 96 and I² = 99.8; P < 0.001). Overall pooled prevalence of dental pain was 32.7 (CI = 29.6-35.9). No difference was seen with respect to the trends in prevalence of dental pain (Coefficient: 0.005; 95% CI - 0.001-0.011; P-value: 0.101).

CONCLUSION

Two out of ten children below five years, four out of ten children between 6 and 12 years and three out of ten adolescents between 13 and 18 years would have experienced pain in the past. Overall, three out of ten children or adolescents might have experienced dental pain in the past. There was no difference in the pain prevalence between male and females. Studies from Africa reported highest pooled prevalence (50.1%) with least being from Australia (20.7%). Studies from India (40.4%), China (41.3%) and Iran (42.6%) reported high pooled prevalence estimates of dental pain.