Prevention of cross infection in dental practice: perception of patients who are users at a public health service at Araraquara city, Sao Paulo State.

• Grant number: 16/23633-7
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: July 01, 2017 - December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal researcher: Camila Pinelli
• Grantee: Camila Pinelli
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOAr). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Investigations on the perception of patients that are users of health services regarding risk of contagion and dental practice can contribute to improving the care that are offered and can allow a better training of professionals and students as human resources inside patient safety culture. This research is composed by 2 studies. The first part aims to investigate patients' perceptions regarding prevention of cross infection in dental practice, through the application of a questionnaire. The second study aims to perform a qualitative assessment, through voice recordings of patient's speeches, who are users of a public health service, at Araraquara, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. In the first part of the study, a questionnaire developed in English (UK) will be culturally adapted to Portuguese (Brazil) in order to be used as a research instrument. Volunteers will be recruited at the Health Special Service of Araraquara (SESA-USP), in the waiting room place, prior to medical or nursing care, without interfering with the routine of the health service, or harming the attendance. In the first part of the study, it is expected to obtain 500 volunteers aged over 18, who are not carriers of severe diseases that preclude participation or with mental disability. In the second part of the study, at least 50 participants that had already enrolled in study 1 will be invited to participate in a recorded interview, through a script of open questions. Quantitative data obtained in study 1 will be analyzed with the help of EPI Info software, and descriptive statistics will be performed. Regarding qualitative data, the QUALIQUANTISOFT® software will be used in the analysis of the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD). Patients' perception of the implicit risk at dental treatment can affect their search for dental care. It can also have a negative impact on health care assistance, so this study allows us to reveal how cross-infection prevention measures are being practiced in Dentistry, and to reveal the aspects related to the importance attached by these patients to the risk of contagion in dentistry. (AU)