Resumo

DA PAZ QUAGGIO, Cristina Maria et al. Access assessment in Family Health Units managed by Social Organization and Municipality. RFO UPF [online]. 2016, vol.21, n.3, pp. 357-362. ISSN 1413-4012.

Objective: to evaluate the effect of using a toothbrush adaptation on individuals affected by leprosy with claw-hand and to evaluate its contribution for oral hygiene. Subjects and method: a study carried out at the Lauro de Souza Lima Institute between 2013 and 2016 with a sample of ten patients over 18 years of age presenting ulnar claw or ulnar/median claw in the dominant limb. Methods included the identification and social profiling of the patient, clinical form of leprosy, and analysis of oral hygiene by the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). Each component of this index is evaluated on a scale from 0 to 3. The OHI-S result is determined by the mean score of each tooth, thus classified as 0 to 1 - satisfactory hygiene, 1.1 to 2 - regular hygiene, and 2.1 to 3 - poor hygiene. Results: the OHI-S of patients was measured at the following three moments: before handing out the adapter, after one week of continuous use of the adapter, and after 15 days of continuous use of the adapter. There were lower mean and median OHI-S values with the use of the adapter according to the period. The ANOVA statistical test confirmed the significant difference between the groups (p = 0.002196). Tukey's test recorded the difference of the 1st moment relative to the 2nd (p = 0.02509) and 3rd (p = 0.002199) moments. There was no significant statistical difference between 2nd and 3rd moments. The Kruskal-Wallis test confirmed the significant difference between the groups (p = 0.005887). Conclusions: assistive technology may improve functional capacity. Even when considering the small universe of this study, it may be concluded that the adaptations can contribute to the improvement of quality of life and to better quality of oral hygiene of this population.

Palavras-chave : Leprosy; Oral hygiene; Assistive technology.