Citation

Costa FW, de Oliveira EH, Bezerra MF, Nogueira AS, Soares EC, Pereira KM. J. Craniofac. Surg. 2014; 25(5): e490-5.

Affiliation

From the Divisions of *Oral Radiology, †Oral Surgery, ‡Stomatology and Oral Surgery, and §Oral Pathology, Department of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/SCS.0000000000000916

PMID

25148633

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The international literature emphasizes the importance of evaluating the knowledge of different groups such as teachers, students, dentists, physicians, parents, and athletes regarding dental injuries. In Brazil, community health workers are professionals who can reach a wide variety of people and who have a marked influence on prevention and health promotion strategies. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of community health workers regarding dental trauma.

METHODS: A questionnaire consisting of 19 questions divided into 3 parts was applied: demographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes. Data from 206 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models.

RESULTS: Approximately 28% of the participants reported to have been called to assist individuals with dental trauma. Only 42 subjects had received education on dental injuries, with 34 of them being instructed by a dentist. In cases of tooth avulsion, only 1.9% of the health workers reported that they would search for the tooth and reimplant it. The most frequently indicated storage media for avulsed teeth were nonphysiological media (69.42%).

CONCLUSIONS: The educational level of the community health workers somehow influenced their knowledge (P < 0.001) and attitude (P = 0.016) regarding dental injuries. Educational programs for this group are needed to improve the management of traumatic dental injuries.

Language: en