Alexandre Baumgarten1, João Luiz Bastos2, Ramona Fernanda Ceriotti Toassi3, Juliana Balbinot Hilgert1,4, Fernando Neves Hugo4,5, Roger Keller Celeste4. 1. Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 2. Postgraduate Program in Community Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil. 3. Postgraduate Program in Teaching in Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 4. Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 5. Research Centre in Social Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To explore factors associated with discrimination in healthcare services and to assess whether discrimination based on dental aesthetics differs by sex. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis based on a household survey carried out in a city in Southern Brazil. Fifteen primary health care (PHC) units with a dental team were randomly selected, and individuals who used the public services in the catchment areas of the PHC units were interviewed. The survey questionnaire included experiences with discrimination related to health services, sociodemographic and dental characteristics. Multiple logistic regressions were estimated with dental appearance as outcome. RESULTS: The final sample was composed of 433 individuals, with 15.2% reporting being discriminated in health services. Participants with ≥20 teeth were significantly more likely to report discrimination than those with <20 teeth (16.6% vs 9.1%, respectively), and people with twisted and stained teeth reported more discrimination than those with white and aligned teeth (23.2% vs 9.9%, respectively). Overall, individuals with twisted and stained teeth were more likely to report discrimination (OR=3.13; 95% CI: 1.46-6.71). When the analyses were stratified by sex, women with twisted and stained teeth showed an OR=3.62 (95% CI: 1.55-8.46) and men OR=0.54 (95% CI: 0.05-6.18). CONCLUSION: Dental appearance may lead to discrimination in healthcare services, but this seems to be more important for women than men.
OBJECTIVES: To explore factors associated with discrimination in healthcare services and to assess whether discrimination based on dental aesthetics differs by sex. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis based on a household survey carried out in a city in Southern Brazil. Fifteen primary health care (PHC) units with a dental team were randomly selected, and individuals who used the public services in the catchment areas of the PHC units were interviewed. The survey questionnaire included experiences with discrimination related to health services, sociodemographic and dental characteristics. Multiple logistic regressions were estimated with dental appearance as outcome. RESULTS: The final sample was composed of 433 individuals, with 15.2% reporting being discriminated in health services. Participants with ≥20 teeth were significantly more likely to report discrimination than those with <20 teeth (16.6% vs 9.1%, respectively), and people with twisted and stained teeth reported more discrimination than those with white and aligned teeth (23.2% vs 9.9%, respectively). Overall, individuals with twisted and stained teeth were more likely to report discrimination (OR=3.13; 95% CI: 1.46-6.71). When the analyses were stratified by sex, women with twisted and stained teeth showed an OR=3.62 (95% CI: 1.55-8.46) and men OR=0.54 (95% CI: 0.05-6.18). CONCLUSION: Dental appearance may lead to discrimination in healthcare services, but this seems to be more important for women than men.
Authors: Kristin Spinler; Christopher Kofahl; Erik Ungoreit; Guido Heydecke; Demet Dingoyan; Ghazal Aarabi Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2022-05-26