Profile and satisfaction of patients with special health care needs assisted in dental specialty centers

Braz Oral Res. 2024 Sep 13:38:e086. doi: 10.1590/1807-3107bor-2024.vol38.0086. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the profile and level of satisfaction of users served in the dental specialty for patients with special healthcare needs (SHCN), based on the Brazilian Program for Improving Access and Quality ("PMAQ") of the Centers for Dental Specialties ("CEO"). This observational, quantitative study used a national secondary database in the public domain. Data were analyzed using the chi-squared test with Bonferroni correction, Student's t-test, and log-linear Poisson regression. Most users of the specialty "SHCN" interviewed were female (74.1% in 2014 and 68.8% in 2018), with a mean age of 41.7 (2014) and 44.9 (2018) years. For every 100 respondents who considered it regular or bad, 171 considered it good, and 199 considered it very good. Regarding satisfaction with the host of the "CEO," there were differences between the regions of Brazil (Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and South). There has been an increase in the number of "CEO" that serve users with autism spectrum disorder. Generally, the "CEO" network provides humanized and welcoming services, presenting better performance in the second evaluation cycle, according to user perception.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brazil
  • Dental Care for Disabled* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction* / statistics & numerical data
  • Specialties, Dental / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The authors would like to thank the Collaborating Center of the Brazilian Ministry of Health of the Federal University of Pernambuco (“CECOL/UFPE”) for the general coordination of the evaluation program of the two cycles of the “PMAQ-CEO.” They are also grateful for the financing of the National Health Fund (“FNS”). This study was partially funded by the “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior” (Capes), Brazil (Finance Code 001).