Infection control in dentistry and patient safety: opinions of a health service users

• Grant number: 17/19247-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Camila Pinelli
• Grantee: Mariangela Pegorin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOAr). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Investigations on the perception of user-patients 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 study aims to investigate patients' perceptions regarding prevention of cross infection in dental practice, through the application of a questionnaire. A questionnaire developed in English (UK) will be culturally adapted to Portuguese (Brazil) in order to be used as a research instrument. Volunteers who are users of a public health service, in Araraquara city, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, will be recruited in the waiting room at the Health Special Service of Araraquara (SESA-USP), prior to medical or nursing care, without interfering with the routine of the health service, or interfering with the attendance. It is expected to obtain 500 volunteers. The inclusion criteria are related to the fact that the participant has already received dental care prior the application of the questionnaire, with the possibility of being or not under dental treatment at the moment. They also must be aged 18 years or above, and they must not suffer from severe illnesses that impair participation, nor have mental disability. Quantitative data will be analyzed with the help of EPI Info software, and descriptive statistics will be performed. 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 both how cross-infection prevention measures are being practiced, and the aspects related to the importance attached by these patients to the risk of contagion in Dentistry. (AU)