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A análise de redes representa um conjunto de métodos e teorias com grande utilidade para descrever, explorar e compreender a estrutura de relações estatísticas em sistemas complexos de variáveis. Esta é uma importante ferramenta analítica com aplicações que variam desde análise exploratória até o desenvolvimento de intervenções. O objetivo desta tese foi mapear a arquitetura de interações entre fatores de saúde bucal de populações indígenas como sistemas de redes complexas. Este volume apresenta um compilado de quatro artigos científicos que investigaram: 1) o letramento em saúde bucal e fatores associados em uma população indígena australiana; 2) a validade estrutural do questionário Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) entre populações indígenas e não indígenas do Brasil e da Austrália; 3) as dinâmicas entre fatores relacionados à saúde bucal de crianças indígenas australianas ao longo do tempo; e 4) a habilidade de medidas de centralidade de uma rede transversal para predizer desfechos de saúde bucal longitudinalmente. Foram estimadas redes de correlação parcial, regularizadas, não direcionadas, baseadas em Modelos Gráficos Gaussianos. As propriedades de rede analisadas incluíram medidas de centralidade, coeficientes locais de agrupamento e coeficientes globais de agrupamento. A estabilidade das redes foi verificada através de um procedimento bootstrap de reamostragem. A Análise Exploratório de Gráficos foi utilizada para verificar a validade estrutural do instrumento de mensuração da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal. Foram analisadas as associações entre as medidas de centralidade de uma rede transversal com dados de mulheres grávidas e dois desfechos relacionados à saúde bucal de crianças indígenas mensurados aos 5 anos por meio de regressões lineares. Foi estimada uma rede que compreende as diferenças de pontuação dos desfechos relacionados à saúde bucal de crianças indígenas entre 2 e 5 anos ajustada pela rede de dados maternos. As correlações entre as medidas de centralidade dos modelos ajustado e não ajustado foram examinadas. Itens de letramento em saúde bucal pertencentes aos mesmos domínios conceituais da escala apresentaram fortes conexões positivas. Diferentes estruturas de rede emergiram para grupos de participantes que possuíam baixo e alto níveis de letramento em saúde bucal. A Análise Exploratória de Gráficos identificou quatro comunidades de nós referentes ao instrumento Oral Health Impact Profile em todas as amostras analisadas, embora populações indígenas apresentaram consistência estrutural reduzida em comparação com seus pares não indígenas. A intervenção de saúde bucal interagiu com a rede de fatores relacionados à saúde bucal por meio da percepção da saúde geral da criança e do conhecimento da saúde bucal infantil. Foram identificadas diferentes conexões entre experiência de cárie dentária e fatores relacionados à saúde bucal em cada fase do estudo. As redes tenderam a retornar a um estado inicial após a intervenção. Força foi a única medida de centralidade associada aos valores preditivos dos nós em relação aos desfechos de saúde bucal das crianças. Valores de Força explicaram 51% e 45% da variação nos valores preditivos dos nós em relação à experiência de cárie dentária e à utilização de serviços odontológicos aos 5 anos, respectivamente. Esta tese demonstrou diferentes aplicações da análise de redes no contexto da saúde bucal indígena. Fatores relacionados à saúde bucal de populações indígenas da Austrália e do Brasil emergiram como redes. Os achados empíricos apresentados contribuem para uma compreensão abrangente das múltiplas interações entre fatores relacionados à saúde bucal destas populações e apresentam implicações para a representação de construtos psicométricos, investigação de fenômenos em saúde bucal e desenvolvimento de intervenções.

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Aim To analyze associations between sociodemographic factors, self-perception, self-care practices in health with Oral Health Literacy (OHL) levels among users of Primary Health Care (PHC). Methods A cross-sectional and analytical study was performed in Piracicaba (São Paulo), Brazil, in 2018, with a convenience sample of users of PHC that were aged over 18 years. Data were collected with a questionnaire by a trained dentist in two Family Health Units. The outcome variable was OHL, measured by the OHLA-B instrument, which was dichotomized by median into low (≤8 point) and high (>8 point). The independent variables were sociodemographic conditions (age, sex, self-declared skin color, and education), self-perceived oral health and self-care practices in health (tooth brushing frequency, smoking habits, reason for the last visit to the dentist, and source of health information search). Unadjusted and adjusted analyses were performed between OHL and independent variables for multiple logistic regression model (p≤0.05). Results The sample consisted of 450 adults. A total of 54.7% had a low OHL. After adjusting for sex and age, OHL was associated with skin color (OR=0.57; 95%CI=0.37-085), educational level (OR=4.92; 95%CI=3.16-7.79), health information from health professionals (OR=2.40; 95%CI=1.42-4.16) and internet (OR=2.88; 95%CI=1.59-5.32), toothbrushing >1 time a day (OR=3.23; 95%CI=1.27-9.92) and smokers (OR=0.42; 95%CI=0.23-0.73). After adjusting for sex, age and income, OHL was associated with (OR=0.63; 95%CI=0.41-096), educational level (OR=4.06; 95%CI=2.57-6.51) and smokers (OR=0.48; 95%CI=0.26-0.84). Conclusions Low OHL was associated with socioeconomic factors, source of information and smoking. This fact highlights the importance of health professionals to promote OHL.

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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the replicability of oral health literacy (OHL) network models across the general community and a sample of older adults from Brazil. METHODS: Data were obtained from two oral health surveys conducted with a total of 1138 participants. OHL was measured using the short form Health Literacy in Dentistry scale (HeLD-14). A regularized partial correlation network was estimated for each sample. Dimensionality and structural stability were examined via exploratory graph analysis. Network properties compared included global strength, edge weights, and centrality estimates. Model replicability was examined fitting the general community model to the older participants' data. RESULTS: Six dimensions with the exact same item composition were detected in both network models. Only the Receptivity domain in the older adults sample yielded low structural stability. Strong correlations were observed between edge weights (τ: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.62-0.74) and between node strength estimates (τ: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.36-0.89). No statistically significant differences were found for global strength. The fit of the older adults sample to the HeLD-14 network structure of the general community sample was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: Network models OHL replicated across the general community and a sample of older adults. The psychometric network approach is a useful tool to evaluate the measurement equivalence of OHL instruments across populations.

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BACKGROUND: Oral health literacy (OHL) is a key factor for reducing inequalities in oral health and promoting better health outcomes, including those related to periodontal health. This study aimed to evaluate associations between OHL and periodontal disease amongst users of primary health care services. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 250 adult users of primary health care services in Brazil. OHL was measured using the Oral Health Literacy Instrument-Brazilian (OHLA-B). Participants also answered a structured questionnaire addressing sociodemographic and behavioural data. Clinical oral examination was performed using the Community Periodontal Index. Analyses of the crude associations were performed by simple logistic regression models, and estimates were reported as odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Variables associated with a significance level <0.20 in bivariate analyses were included in hierarchical multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Amongst participants, 62% were female with an average age of 37.2 years. Adults aged 37 years or older (OR, 5.48; 95% CI, 2.68-11.21), with fewer years of study (OR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.66-6.71), with low OHL levels (OR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.71-20.49), and who smoked (OR, 3.29; 95% CI, 1.34-8.09) were more likely to have periodontal pockets compared to their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Primary health care users with low OHL levels presented with more severe periodontal diseases.

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This study aimed to investigate the association between Oral Health Literacy (OHL) and dental outcomes. A sample of 920 adults above 18 years of age living in areas covered by 10 Family Health Units (FHUs) in a large city in São Paulo state, Brazil, was included. OHL was assessed using the short-form Health Literacy in Dentistry Scale (HeLD-14). Data on sociodemographic factors, oral health, and general health were obtained through a structured questionnaire. The investigated outcomes "tooth loss" and "reason for the last dental appointment" were evaluated using self-reported data. Simple logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between each independent factor and outcomes. Factors that presented a significance level of ≤0.20 in the bivariate analysis were included in the hierarchical multiple logistic regression models. Participants with an education level up to high school, low OHL, and poor/fair self-rated oral health had 1.35 (95%CI, 1.01-1.80), 1.48 (95%CI, 1.12-1.95), and 1.46 (95%CI, 1.11-1.92) times more probability to report missing teeth, respectively. Adults from families with lower monthly income, low OHL, and poor/fair self-rated oral health had 1.70 (95%CI, 1.29-2.26), 1.89 (95%CI, 1.42-2.51), and 1.73 (95%CI, 1.30-2.30) times more chance, respectively, to have gone to the last dental appointment due to pain or caries. Adults with low OHL levels are more likely to have missing teeth and have gone to the last dental visit for pain, reinforcing the importance of OHL as an important determinant for promoting oral health.

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O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os níveis de Letramento em Saúde Bucal (LSB) de pacientes adultos atendidos em uma clínica odontológica universitária (COU) e associações com diversas variáveis. Foi realizado um estudo transversal com amostra de 312 usuários adultos de uma COU, no período de fevereiro a julho de 2018. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de um questionário autoaplicável incluindo dados demográficos, HeLD-14 para avaliação do LSB, fontes de acesso a informações sobre saúde bucal, autoavaliação de saúde bucal (ASB) e motivos para procurar o dentista. Análises de regressão logística simples e múltipla foram realizadas para avaliar o nível de associação entre as variáveis independentes e dependente (LSB). O valor mediano para HeLD-14 foi de 44,2 (dp=7,8). No modelo final, os seguintes usuários tiveram uma probabilidade significativamente maior de apresentar níveis de OHL mais baixos em relação aos seus pares: aqueles com até o ensino fundamental (OR: 3,82, IC 95%: 1,85-7,88), aqueles com renda menor ou igual a 2 Salários Mínimos (OR: 3,65, IC 95%: 1,37-9,76), aqueles que utilizam televisão/rádio/jornal/revistas/outros como principal fonte de informação sobre saúde bucal (OR: 1,97, IC 95%:1,17 -3,30), os que classificaram sua ASB como regular/ruim (OR: 1,88, IC 95%:1,08-3,26), e os que foram ao dentista pela última vez por dor/extração (OR: 2,28, 95% IC: 1,35-3,85). Os níveis de LSB dos usuários estiveram associados a variáveis sociodemográficas, fontes de informação e saúde bucal, fato que deve ser considerado pelos estudantes de odontologia e seus docentes, nos processos de comunicação e educação em saúde com os usuários da COU, para uma melhor assistência à saúde bucal a eles (AU).

The objective of this study was toevaluate the levels of Oral Health Literacy (OHL) among adult patients attending in a university dental clinic (UDC) and associations with diverse variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 312 adultusers of aUDC, from February to July 2018. Data collection was done by using a self-administered questionnaire including demographics, HeLD-14 for evaluating OHL, sources for accessing information about oral health, self-rated oral health (SROH), and reasons to look for the dentist.Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the level of association between independent and dependent variables (OHL). The median value for HeLD-14 was 44.2 (sd=7.8). In the final model, the following users had a significantly higher likelihood of presenting lower OHL levels compared to their counterparts: those with up to elementary school (OR: 3.82, 95%CI: 1.85-7.88), those whose income was less than or equal to 2 Brazilian Minimum Wages (OR: 3.65, 95%CI: 1.37-9.76), those who use television/radio/newspaper/magazines/others as their main source of oral health information (OR: 1.97, 95%CI:1.17-3.30), those who classified their SROH as fair/poor (OR: 1.88, 95%CI: 1.08-3.26), and those who had gone to the dentist the last time due to pain/extraction (OR: 2.28, 95%CI: 1.35-3.85). The users' OHL levels were associated with sociodemographic variables, sources of information, and oral health, a fact that must be considered by dental students and their professors, in the processes of communication and health education with UDC users, to provide better oral health care for them (AU).

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This study aimed to estimate the number of excess deaths among Indigenous Peoples associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and to assess the disparities in excess mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Brazilians. A time series analysis of weekly mortality data including all deaths from January 2015 to December 2020 was conducted. The number of expected deaths for 2020 was estimated using an over-dispersed Poisson model that accounts for demographic changes, temporal trends, and seasonal effects in mortality. Weekly excess deaths were calculated as the difference between the number of observed deaths and the expected deaths. Regional differences in Indigenous mortality were investigated. A significant increase in Indigenous mortality was observed from April 1 to December 31, 2020. An estimated 1149 (95% CI 1018-1281) excess deaths was found among Indigenous Brazilians in 2020, representing a 34.8% increase from the expected deaths for this population. The overall increase in non-Indigenous mortality was 18.1%. The Indigenous population living in the Brazilian Amazon area was the earliest-affected Indigenous group, with one of the highest proportional increases in mortality. Disparities in excess mortality revealed a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 among Indigenous Brazilians compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Findings highlight the importance of implementing an effective emergency plan that addresses the increased vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples to COVID-19.

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OBJECTIVES: Network analysis is an innovative, analytic approach that enables visual representation of variables as nodes and their corresponding statistical associations as edges. It also provides a new way of framing oral health-related questions as complex systems of variables. We aimed to generate networks of oral health variables using epidemiological data of Indigenous children, and to compare network structures of oral health variables among participants who received immediate or delayed delivery of an oral health intervention. METHODS: Epidemiological data from 448 mother-child dyads enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of dental caries prevention in South Australia, Australia, were obtained. Networks were estimated with nodes representing study variables and edges representing partial correlation coefficients between variables. Data included dental caries, impact on quality of life, self-rated general health, self-rated oral health, dental service utilization, knowledge of oral health, fatalism and self-efficacy in three time points. Communities of nodes, centrality, clustering coefficient and network stability were estimated. RESULTS: The oral health intervention interacted with the network through self-rated general health and knowledge of oral health. Networks depicting groups shortly after receiving the intervention presented higher clustering coefficients and a similar arrangement of nodes. Networks tended to return to a preintervention state. CONCLUSION: The intervention resulted in increased connectivity and changes in the structure of communities of variables in both intervention groups. Our findings contribute to elucidating dynamics between variables depicting oral health networks over time.

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ABSTRACT Objective: To translate and adapt the eHealth Literacy Scale for the cultural reality of Brazil and to evaluate the psychometric properties of its Brazilian Portuguese version. Methods: The instrument was translated and adapted to Brazilian Portuguese and applied to a sample of 502 individuals from 18 to 80 years old who lived in the surrounding areas of six Family Health Units of a city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The data was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and instrument reliability measures (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega). Results: The eHealth Literacy Scale - Brazilian version (eHEALS-Br) presented an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.95 e ω = 0.95), with only one dimension and an explained variation of 81.79%. Conclusions: The Brazilian version of the instrument showed excellent psychometric properties to measure the levels of digital health literacy in adults from the country.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Traducir y adaptar la eHealth Literacy Scale a realidad cultural Brasileña y evaluar sus propiedades psicométricas de la versión en portugués brasileño. Métodos: El instrumento fue traducido y adaptado al portugués brasileño y, en seguida, aplicado en una muestra de 502 individuos entre 18 y 80 años residentes en áreas cercas a seis Unidades de Salud de la Familia de un municipio del interior del estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Los datos fueron evaluados mediante análisis factorial exploratoria y confirmatoria, Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem y confiabilidad del instrumento (alfa de Cronbach y omega de McDonald). Resultados: El instrumento eHealth Literacy Scale - versión brasileña (eHEALS-Br) presentó excelente consistencia interna (α = 0,95 y ω = 0,95), apenas una dimensión y variancia explicada de 81,79%. Conclusiones: La versión brasileña del instrumento mostró excelentes propiedades psicométricas para contraste de los niveles de alfabetización digital en salud en adultos del nuestro país.

RESUMO Objetivo: Traduzir e adaptar a eHealth Literacy Scale para a realidade cultural do Brasil e avaliar suas propriedades psicométricas da versão em português brasileiro. Métodos: O instrumento foi traduzido e adaptado ao português brasileiro e, em seguida, aplicado em uma amostra de 502 indivíduos entre 18 e 80 anos residentes em áreas circunvizinhas a seis Unidades de Saúde da Família de um município do interior do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Os dados foram avaliados mediante análises fatorial exploratória e confirmatória, Teoria de Resposta ao Item e confiabilidade do instrumento (alfa de Cronbach e ômega de McDonald). Resultados: O instrumento eHealth Literacy Scale - versão brasileira (eHEALS-Br) apresentou excelente consistência interna (α = 0,95 e ω = 0,95), apenas uma dimensão e variância explicada de 81,79%. Conclusões: A versão brasileira do instrumento mostrou excelentes propriedades psicométricas para aferição dos níveis de letramento digital em saúde em adultos do nosso país.

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Abstract This study aimed to investigate the association between Oral Health Literacy (OHL) and dental outcomes. A sample of 920 adults above 18 years of age living in areas covered by 10 Family Health Units (FHUs) in a large city in São Paulo state, Brazil, was included. OHL was assessed using the short-form Health Literacy in Dentistry Scale (HeLD-14). Data on sociodemographic factors, oral health, and general health were obtained through a structured questionnaire. The investigated outcomes "tooth loss" and "reason for the last dental appointment" were evaluated using self-reported data. Simple logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between each independent factor and outcomes. Factors that presented a significance level of ≤0.20 in the bivariate analysis were included in the hierarchical multiple logistic regression models. Participants with an education level up to high school, low OHL, and poor/fair self-rated oral health had 1.35 (95%CI, 1.01-1.80), 1.48 (95%CI, 1.12-1.95), and 1.46 (95%CI, 1.11-1.92) times more probability to report missing teeth, respectively. Adults from families with lower monthly income, low OHL, and poor/fair self-rated oral health had 1.70 (95%CI, 1.29-2.26), 1.89 (95%CI, 1.42-2.51), and 1.73 (95%CI, 1.30-2.30) times more chance, respectively, to have gone to the last dental appointment due to pain or caries. Adults with low OHL levels are more likely to have missing teeth and have gone to the last dental visit for pain, reinforcing the importance of OHL as an important determinant for promoting oral health.

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O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi analisar a percepção dosestudantesde graduação do último ano do Curso de Odontologia da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade de São Paulo (FOUSP) em relação ao processo de mentoring. A amostra foi de 122 estudantes que estavam matriculados na disciplina de Gestão e Planejamento daFOUSP, os quais foram divididos em grupos de 8 integrantese, durante o semestre, as reuniões de tutoria eram realizadas pelos pós-graduandos, para debater questões pessoais e profissionais. Ao final do semestre os estudantes responderam a um questionário sobreoprocesso dementoringrealizado e a respeito de pontos positivos e negativos da disciplina. O treinamento dos tutores foi realizado no semestre anterior, juntamente com um estudo piloto com 20 graduandos. Foi realizada uma análise de correspondência para a avaliação da disciplina com o mentoringe uma análisequantitativa textual por meio do softwareIramuteq para avaliação das respostas da questão aberta. Dos estudantes incluídos, 96,7% participaram da pesquisa.Quanto àavaliação da disciplina, 55,1% dos respondentes aconsideraram boa e 33,9%como ótima. Em relação ao processo de mentoring, 62,7% consideraram ótimo e 32,2% bom. Quando questionados quais eram os pontos positivos da disciplina, 48,3% dos estudantes destacaram a tutoria. Ao verificar a coocorrência e conectividade das palavras, foi constatada uma forte relação entre os termos reunião, grupo, aluno e futuro. Diante disso, é possível concluir que a percepção do aluno de graduação é positiva em relação ao processo de mentoring, no qual além de ser um processo de instrução, serve também de apoio para o aluno do último ano (AU).

This study aimed to analyze the perception of graduate students in the last year of the Dentistry Course at the University of São Paulo School of Dentistry (FOUSP) ofthe mentoring process implemented in the discipline of Management and Planning. The sample comprised 122 students enrolled in the Management and Planning discipline at FOUSP. During mentoring, students were divided into groups of eight members, and tutoring meetings were held by post-graduate students to discuss personal and professional issues. At the end of the semester, students answered a questionnaire about the mentoring process and the positive and negative aspects of the discipline. Tutors were trained in the previous semesteralongsidea pilot study with 20 graduate students. A correspondence analysis was conducted to evaluate the discipline, and a quantitative textual analysis using the Iramuteq software was used to assess the responsesto the open questions. Approximately 97% of the students participated in the survey. The majority rated the discipline as good (55.1%) and excellent (33.9%). Regarding the mentoring process, 62.7% considered the activities excellent and 32.2% good. When asked about the strengths of the discipline, 48.3% of students highlighted tutoring. When verifying the co-occurrence and connectivity of the words, a strong relationship was found between the terms "meeting," "group," "student," and "future." Thus, graduate students' perception ofthe mentoring processis positive, which in addition to being aninstructional process,also serves as support for the final year at the university (AU).

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OBJECTIVE: To translate and adapt the eHealth Literacy Scale for the cultural reality of Brazil and to evaluate the psychometric properties of its Brazilian Portuguese version. METHODS: The instrument was translated and adapted to Brazilian Portuguese and applied to a sample of 502 individuals from 18 to 80 years old who lived in the surrounding areas of six Family Health Units of a city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The data was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and instrument reliability measures (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega). RESULTS: The eHealth Literacy Scale - Brazilian version (eHEALS-Br) presented an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.95 e ω = 0.95), with only one dimension and an explained variation of 81.79%. CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the instrument showed excellent psychometric properties to measure the levels of digital health literacy in adults from the country.

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BACKGROUND: The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has become a standard tool for the evaluation of digital health literacy. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the eHEALS in a sample of patients from a dental clinic setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a dental setting. The sample included patients from the Dental Clinic of the Dentistry School of the University of São Paulo between September 2019 and March 2020. The underlying structure of the data was exploratorily investigated using Exploratory Graph Analysis, a network analysis method. The internal reliability was assessed using the McDonald's Omega coefficient. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to assess the fit of the structure identified by the network analysis. Convergent validity was assessed using the Average Variance Extracted, and measurement invariance was examined using nested models in multigroup CFA. Criterion-related validity was examined calculating the latent mean differences between subgroups (genders, age groups, and educational levels). RESULTS: The sample included 132 adults aged 18 to 82 years (mean 44.7 years). The eHEALS network indicated that items form a single-factor structure. The 1-factor model presented adequate fit (χ2 (18) = 29.873, p < 0.039; R-CFI = 0.997; R-TLI = 0.996; R-RMSEA = 0.032, 90% CI [0.000, 0.052]), good internal reliability, and convergent validity. Configural invariance was found for genders, educational levels, and age groups. Scalar invariance was observed for genders and age, whereas partial scalar invariance was confirmed for education. Participants aged 18 to 45 and those with higher education presented greater latent means for eHEALS subscales. There were no differences between genders. CONCLUSION: The BR-eHEALS presented good internal reliability, convergent validity, measurement invariance, and was able to discriminate the levels of eHealth literacy among groups with different ages and educational levels. These findings demonstrate that the tool is valid and reliable for use in a dental setting with the Brazilian population.

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PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the usefulness of machine learning and automation techniques to match pairs of panoramic radiographs for personal identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred panoramic radiographs from 100 patients (50 males and 50 females) were randomly selected from a private radiological service database. Initially, 14 linear and angular measurements of the radiographs were made by an expert. Eight ratio indices derived from the original measurements were applied to a statistical algorithm to match radiographs from the same patients, simulating a semi-automated personal identification process. Subsequently, measurements were automatically generated using a deep neural network for image recognition, simulating a fully automated personal identification process. RESULTS: Approximately 85% of the radiographs were correctly matched by the automated personal identification process. In a limited number of cases, the image recognition algorithm identified 2 potential matches for the same individual. No statistically significant differences were found between measurements performed by the expert on panoramic radiographs from the same patients. CONCLUSION: Personal identification might be performed with the aid of image recognition algorithms and machine learning techniques. This approach will likely facilitate the complex task of personal identification by performing an initial screening of radiographs and matching ante-mortem and post-mortem images from the same individuals.

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A análise de redes representa um conjunto de métodos e teorias com grande utilidade para descrever, explorar e compreender a estrutura de relações estatísticas em sistemas complexos de variáveis. Esta é uma importante ferramenta analítica com aplicações que variam desde análise exploratória até o desenvolvimento de intervenções. O objetivo desta tese foi mapear a arquitetura de interações entre fatores de saúde bucal de populações indígenas como sistemas de redes complexas. Este volume apresenta um compilado de quatro artigos científicos que investigaram: 1) o letramento em saúde bucal e fatores associados em uma população indígena australiana; 2) a validade estrutural do questionário Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) entre populações indígenas e não indígenas do Brasil e da Austrália; 3) as dinâmicas entre fatores relacionados à saúde bucal de crianças indígenas australianas ao longo do tempo; e 4) a habilidade de medidas de centralidade de uma rede transversal para predizer desfechos de saúde bucal longitudinalmente. Foram estimadas redes de correlação parcial, regularizadas, não direcionadas, baseadas em Modelos Gráficos Gaussianos. As propriedades de rede analisadas incluíram medidas de centralidade, coeficientes locais de agrupamento e coeficientes globais de agrupamento. A estabilidade das redes foi verificada através de um procedimento bootstrap de reamostragem. A Análise Exploratório de Gráficos foi utilizada para verificar a validade estrutural do instrumento de mensuração da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal. Foram analisadas as associações entre as medidas de centralidade de uma rede transversal com dados de mulheres grávidas e dois desfechos relacionados à saúde bucal de crianças indígenas mensurados aos 5 anos por meio de regressões lineares. Foi estimada uma rede que compreende as diferenças de pontuação dos desfechos relacionados à saúde bucal de crianças indígenas entre 2 e 5 anos ajustada pela rede de dados maternos. As correlações entre as medidas de centralidade dos modelos ajustado e não ajustado foram examinadas. Itens de letramento em saúde bucal pertencentes aos mesmos domínios conceituais da escala apresentaram fortes conexões positivas. Diferentes estruturas de rede emergiram para grupos de participantes que possuíam baixo e alto níveis de letramento em saúde bucal. A Análise Exploratória de Gráficos identificou quatro comunidades de nós referentes ao instrumento Oral Health Impact Profile em todas as amostras analisadas, embora populações indígenas apresentaram consistência estrutural reduzida em comparação com seus pares não indígenas. A intervenção de saúde bucal interagiu com a rede de fatores relacionados à saúde bucal por meio da percepção da saúde geral da criança e do conhecimento da saúde bucal infantil. Foram identificadas diferentes conexões entre experiência de cárie dentária e fatores relacionados à saúde bucal em cada fase do estudo. As redes tenderam a retornar a um estado inicial após a intervenção. Força foi a única medida de centralidade associada aos valores preditivos dos nós em relação aos desfechos de saúde bucal das crianças. Valores de Força explicaram 51% e 45% da variação nos valores preditivos dos nós em relação à experiência de cárie dentária e à utilização de serviços odontológicos aos 5 anos, respectivamente. Esta tese demonstrou diferentes aplicações da análise de redes no contexto da saúde bucal indígena. Fatores relacionados à saúde bucal de populações indígenas da Austrália e do Brasil emergiram como redes. Os achados empíricos apresentados contribuem para uma compreensão abrangente das múltiplas interações entre fatores relacionados à saúde bucal destas populações e apresentam implicações para a representação de construtos psicométricos, investigação de fenômenos em saúde bucal e desenvolvimento de intervenções.

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Food insecurity is a complex phenomenon that affects the health and wellbeing of vulnerable families. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity, dental caries, oral health-related quality of life, and social determinants of health among Indigenous adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Kaingang adults aged 35-44 years old from the Guarita Indigenous Land, Brazil. Food insecurity was assessed through the EBIA scale. Dental caries was assessed using the DMFT index. Participants answered the OHIP-14 questionnaire and a structured interview. Descriptive and multivariate analyzes using Poisson regression models were performed. The final sample included 107 adults from 97 households. Approximately 95% lived in food insecure families. Severe food insecurity was present in 58% of the households. The phenomenon was associated to the Bolsa Família benefit, household size, and greater perception of oral health impacts on quality of life. The high number of families affected by food insecurity reveals the social vulnerability of the Kaingang people. Food insecurity in Kaingangs adults is associated to oral health perception and social determinants of health.

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Abstract Food insecurity is a complex phenomenon that affects the health and wellbeing of vulnerable families. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity, dental caries, oral health-related quality of life, and social determinants of health among Indigenous adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Kaingang adults aged 35-44 years old from the Guarita Indigenous Land, Brazil. Food insecurity was assessed through the EBIA scale. Dental caries was assessed using the DMFT index. Participants answered the OHIP-14 questionnaire and a structured interview. Descriptive and multivariate analyzes using Poisson regression models were performed. The final sample included 107 adults from 97 households. Approximately 95% lived in food insecure families. Severe food insecurity was present in 58% of the households. The phenomenon was associated to the Bolsa Família benefit, household size, and greater perception of oral health impacts on quality of life. The high number of families affected by food insecurity reveals the social vulnerability of the Kaingang people. Food insecurity in Kaingangs adults is associated to oral health perception and social determinants of health.

Resumo Insegurança alimentar é um fenômeno complexo que afeta a saúde e o bem-estar de famílias vulneráveis. Este estudo objetivou investigar a relação entre insegurança alimentar domiciliar, cárie dentária, qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal, e determinantes sociais de saúde entre indígenas adultos. Foi conduzido um estudo transversal com adultos Kaingang entre 35-44 anos da Terra Indígena Guarita, Brasil. Insegurança alimentar foi avaliada pela escala EBIA. Cárie dentária foi avaliada pelo índice CPOD. Participantes responderam o questionário OHIP-14 e uma entrevista estruturada. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e multivariadas usando modelos de regressão de Poisson. A amostra incluiu 107 adultos Kaingang de 97 domicílios. Aproximadamente 95% dos participantes viviam em famílias com insegurança alimentar. Insegurança alimentar grave esteve presente em 58% dos domicílios. O fenômeno foi associado ao Bolsa Família, densidade familiar e percepção dos impactos da saúde bucal na qualidade de vida. O alto número de famílias afetadas pela insegurança alimentar revela a vulnerabilidade social do povo Kaingang. Insegurança alimentar em adultos Kaingang está associada à percepção da saúde bucal e determinantes sociais da saúde.

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AIMS: To investigate the factors associated with poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a sample of Brazilian older adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 535 non-institutionalized elders aged 60 years or older from Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. OHRQoL was measured using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Data on sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived general health status, and health-related behaviors were obtained through a structured questionnaire. Data on chronic diseases were obtained from health records. Associations between exploratory factors and low OHRQoL (% GOHAI score <30) were evaluated using multivariate Poisson regression models to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and confidence intervals. The mean OHRQoL score was 30 (± 4.4). In bivariate analysis, being not married, smoking, and self-rated "fair/poor" general health status were associated with lower OHRQoL. In the adjusted model, self-rated "fair/poor" general health (PR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.05-1.48), presence of chronic diseases (PR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.37-2.58), smoking (PR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.02-1.53), and reason for last dental appointment (PR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.13-1.59) were associated with poor OHRQoL. CONCLUSION: Non-institutionalized older adults with a history of chronic diseases, who smoke, have a negative perception of their general health, and had the last dental appointment motivated by pain present significantly higher prevalence rates of poor OHRQoL.

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BACKGROUND: Population ageing in Brazil is rapid and is likely to place additional pressure over the Brazilian public health system. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the factors associated with utilisation of dental services in the previous year among a representative sample of older adults from São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: The sample included 5951 older adults who participated in the SBSP-15 study, an epidemiological survey conducted in 2015 in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The outcome "utilisation of dental services" was defined as having visited a dentist in the previous year. Chi-square tests were employed in the bivariate analyses and Poisson regressions with robust variance in the multilevel analysis. RESULTS: Only 30.5% of the participants had their last dental appointment within the previous year. Number of teeth and dental pain presented the strongest effects on the investigated outcome. Education, income, age, ethnicity, living alone, higher Family Health Strategy coverage and the Metropolitan area were associated with having visited a dentist in the previous year. Older adults who rated their oral health as positive did not report treatment need nor prosthodontic need, presented negative oral health-related quality of life, had their last dental appointment in the public health system and sought treatment due to pain or extraction also were more likely to report the utilisation of dental services in the previous year. CONCLUSION: Regional, sociodemographic and subjective factors are associated with utilisation of dental services in the previous year among the elders from the State of São Paulo, Brazil.

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BACKGROUND: Centrality measures identify items that are central to a network, which may inform potential targets for oral interventions. AIM: We tested whether centrality measures in a cross-sectional network of mothers' baseline factors are able to predict the association with children's dental outcomes at age 5 years. DESIGN: A network approach was applied to longitudinal data from a randomised controlled trial of dental caries prevention delivered to 448 women pregnant with an Indigenous child in South Australia. Central items were identified at baseline using three centrality measures (strength, betweenness, and closeness). Centrality values of mothers' outcomes were regressed with their predictive values to dental caries experience and dental service utilisation at child age 5 years. RESULTS: Items of oral health self-efficacy and oral health literacy were central to mothers' baseline network. Strength at baseline explained 51% and 45% of items' predictive values to dental caries experience and dental service utilisation at child age 5 years, respectively. Adjusted and unadjusted values of node strength for the children's oral health network were highly correlated. CONCLUSION: Strength at baseline successfully identified mothers' items with greater importance to dental caries experience and dental service utilisation at child age 5 years.

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