Edentulismo e fatores associados em idosos de uma cidade do sul do Brasil: um estudo transversal

Abstract

The present study evaluated edentulism and factors associated with it in a city in southern Brazil. Home-based cross-sectional observational study with probabilistic cluster sampling was carried out in 282 elderly aged ≥ 60 years in the city of Veranópolis/RS. Clinical examination of oral health, including counting the number of teeth present and a structured questionnaire, was applied by trained and calibrated teams. Associations were evaluated using the chi-square or Mann-Whitney tests, presented through frequency distribution. Uni- and multivariate analyzes were performed, using Poisson regression with robust variance, to verify associations. The prevalence of edentulism was 48.6% (n=137). In the final multivariate model, age, educational level and access to the dentist remained associated with edentulism. For each one-year increase in age, there is a 2.7% increase in the Prevalence Ratio (PR) of being edentulous [PR; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI: 1.027;1.015-1.039]. Middle/high educational level was associated with a lower PR for edentulism. Elderly people with medium/high schooling had a 39.4% lower PR for being edentulous [PR; 95% CI: 0.606; 0.382-0.961]. Elderly people without access to a dentist had a 78% (p<0.001) higher PR for being edentulous. It was found that the prevalence of edentulism in the elderly was high and was associated with sociodemographic factors.