Individual and collective empowerment and associated factors among Brazilian adults: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
The empowerment embedded in the health area is defined as a process that can facilitate control over the determinants of health of individuals and population as a way to improve health. The aim of this study was to verify the association between individual and collective empowerment with sociodemographic conditions, lifestyle, health conditions and quality of life.


METHODS
A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 1150 individuals (aged 35 to 44 years). The empowerment was determined by questions from the Integrated Questionnaire for the Measurement of Social Capital (IQ-MSC). The quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL (World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref). Lifestyle and health conditions were obtained by adapted questions from the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire The DMFT Index was incorporated in the health conditions questions. Logistic regression or multinomial regression was performed.


RESULTS
The practice of physical activity was related to individual (OR: 2.70) and collective (OR: 1.57) empowerment. Regarding individual empowerment, people with higher education level (5-11 years - OR: 3.46 and ≥12 years - OR: 4.41), who felt more able to deal with stress (OR:3.76), who presented a high score on quality of life (psychological domain) (OR:1.23) and that smoked (OR:1.49) were more likely to feel able to make decisions and participate in community activities. The increase in the DMFT Index represented less chance of individuals to feel more able to make decisions (OR: 0.96). Regarding the collective empowerment, being religious (catholic) (OR: 1.82), do not drink or drink just a little (OR: 1.66 and 2.28, respectively), and increased score of overall quality of life (OR: 1.08) were more likely to report that people cooperate to solve a problem in their community.


CONCLUSIONS
The two approaches to empowerment, the individual and collective are connected, and the physical activity showed to be a good strategy for the empowerment construction.
Student in Public Health at Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Av. Presidente Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. marciasoares.lavras@gmail.com.|University Center Lavras, Rua Benjamin Constant, 33, Bairro Centro, ZIP Code 37200-000, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. marciasoares.lavras@gmail.com.
Marcia Fatima
MF
Soares
Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. ferreira_rc@hotmail.com.|, Rua João Antonio Cardoso, 46/601, Bairro Ouro Preto, Belo Horizonte, 31330-390, Brazil. ferreira_rc@hotmail.com.
Rachel Conceição
RC
Ferreira
Professor of the Graduate Program in General Dentistry, Universidade Vale do Rio Verde, Três Corações, Brazil. camilapazzini@hotmail.com.|, Rua Benjamin Constant 33, Bairro Centro, ZIP Code 37200-000, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. camilapazzini@hotmail.com.
Camila Alessandra
CA
Pazzini
Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. detravassos@gmail.com.|, Rua Felipe dos Santos 16/700 Bairro de Lourdes, Belo Horizonte, ZIP Code 30180160, Minas Gerais, Brazil. detravassos@gmail.com.
Denise Vieira
DV
Travassos
Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Bandeirantes, 2275/500 Bairro Bandeirantes, 30.210-420, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. smpaiva@uol.com.br.
Saul Martins
SM
Paiva
Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. efigeniaf@gmail.com.
Efigênia Ferreira
EF
e Ferreira
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D066270:Social Capital; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014944:World Health Organization