Use of dental services by psychoactive substances users at the Psychosocial Alcohol and Drug Care Centers in the Greater Vitoria area, ES

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective The use of and access to dental services in Brazil are unevenly distributed, despite governmental efforts to make the national health system universal and egalitarian. This study aims to evaluate the access to and use of dental services by psychoactive substances users at the Centros de Atenção Psicossocial Álcool e Drogas (Psychosocial Alcohol and Drug Care Centers) in the Greater Vitoria area, ES. Methods A transversal study was conducted with 280 participants. Five scripts were used for data collection, one for socio-demographic data and health perception, another for oral health, along with the Oral Health Impact Profile, the Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test, and the World Health Organization Quality of Lifeinstrument. Data were displayed infrequency tables. The association between demographic factors with drug use, frequency of use and quality of life was tested using Fisher’s test. The Odds Ratio was used to determine the strength of the association. Results Dental services were used 32.14% of the study population and individuals at high risk for crack dependence were 2.3 times more likely not to use dental services in previous 6 months. Conclusion The study population showed a satisfactory utilization of the dental services offered while individuals at higher risk of crack addiction used them much less frequently.

Keywords

• Dental care
• Drug users
• Oral health