Perception and practices of caregivers of childhood and youth shelters concerning oral health in the city of Belém, Brazil
DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.202044144151
Keywords:
Oral health. Health education. Caregivers. SheltersAbstract
Children who are not part of a socially structured family deserve special attention regarding oral health care.
Investigating notions of care and hygiene practices of caregivers becomes essential for understanding the quality of
charitable assistance provided in shelters. Thus, this study evaluated oral health knowledge and practices of shelter
caregivers based on education and oral health activities. The sample consisted of caregivers associated with the
four unique public institutions for social support of children and adolescents in the city of Belém, PA, Brazil. Data
were collected through a questionnaire covering basic notions of oral health and dental care and were subjected
to statistical analysis using the Chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test, adopting α = 0.05. The results indicated an
association between the variables “prior instruction in brushing techniques” and “oral health promotion” (p= 0.011),
showing a higher frequency of brushing guidance among caregivers who had previously received instructions on such
techniques and between the variables “education level” and “development of oral health activities” (p= 0.0461). This
revealed that access to higher education implied a greater promotion of oral health activities. Therefore, it was possible
to verify that the caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to oral health are correlated, and having
educational knowledge and attitudes are favorable indicators for health promotion practices.
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