title: Social vulnerability and traumatic dental injury among Brazilian schoolchildren: a population-based study.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to test the association between social vulnerability and the prevalence of traumatic dental injury (TDI). A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,556 schoolchildren aged 11 to 14 years in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The participants were examined for TDI using Andreasen's criteria and those diagnosed with TDI were interviewed to determine the history of the injury. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) was used for socioeconomic classification, which addresses environmental, cultural, economic, legal and security/survival dimensions. The Poisson regression model was used for the multivariate analysis, with the significance level set at 5%. The prevalence of TDI was 14.1%; 59.3% of the participants with TDI did not seek a dentist after the incident. Poorer environmental, economic and legal conditions were statistically associated with the occurrence of untreated TDI (p < 0.05) and all the five SVI dimensions were associated with seeking a dentist due to TDI (p < 0.006). The prevalence of untreated TDI was higher among boys (PR: 1.42; 95%CI: 1.11-1.81) and those in situations of greater social vulnerability (PR: 2.27; 95%CI: 1.11-4.61). In conclusion, the male gender and high social vulnerability proved to be associated with the occurrence of TDI.
authors: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. crysbendo@yahoo.com.br
authors: Cristiane B
authors: CB
authors: Bendo
authors: Miriam P
authors: MP
authors: Vale
authors: Lícian D
authors: LD
authors: Figueiredo
authors: Isabela A
authors: IA
authors: Pordeus
authors: Saul M
authors: SM
authors: Paiva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations