[Socioeconomic indicators and oral health services in an underprivileged area of Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between the proportion of tooth extractions, socioeconomic indicators, and the availability of oral health services in an underprivileged area of Brazil.


METHODS
An ecological study was carried out in 52 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The socioeconomic indicators employed were criteria for health care resources allocation, municipal human development index, Theil index, Gini coefficient, and sanitation conditions. Concerning the availability of oral health services, the following were considered: number of inhabitants, number of dental surgeons living in the city, number of dentists working in the public services, and number of municipal oral health care teams. The utilization of oral health services was evaluated using the indicators recommended by the Health Ministry's Basic Care Package (Pacto da Atencão Básica in Portuguese) and the number of procedures carried out in the primary care setting. The 17 variables assessed were grouped into factorial components, which were then analyzed in terms of their relationship with the dependent variable, tooth extractions.


RESULTS
The following six components explained 73.5% of the overall variance: socioeconomic conditions, social inequality, Basic Care Package indicators, number of procedures carried out, ratio of dentists to inhabitants, and coverage of the Family Health Strategy. Inequalities in income distribution (P = 0.031) and coverage by the Family Health Strategy (P = 0.015) contributed significantly to explain the difference in the proportion of tooth extractions in the different municipalities under study.


CONCLUSIONS
The dental loss observed in the region is largely explained by socioeconomic factors and aspects related to the organization of oral health services.
Departamento de Odontologia Social e Preventiva, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Andréa Clemente
AC
Palmier
Danielle Alves
DA
Andrade
Ana Cristina Viana
AC
Campos
Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães
MH
Abreu
Efigênia Ferreira
EF
Ferreira
D001938:Brazil; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D003815:Dentists / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009909:Oral Health; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014504:Urban Health; D000078329:Workforce