Educação em saúde bucal como estratégia para promoção da autoimagem e prevenção de IST/HIV em adolescentes escolares

Abstract

Oral health is an essential component to human function and quality of life. During the adolescence the approach about oral health care can be considered a precursor strategy to prevent other typical situations of this phase, as the promotion of oral self-image, prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy, contemplating Education health. Thereby, this study aims to verify the effectiveness of an educational intervention on oral health as a mediating strategy for promotion of oral self-image and prevention of STI / HIV in adolescents from a public school in the city of Carnaubal-CE. This is a intervention type research, with a predominantly quantitative approach, conducted with 109 students aged 12-18 years. Data collection was performed by the application of two -pre and post-intervention- questionnaires with the use of socio-demographic, sexual and reproductive variables, and related to oral health. The collected data were statistically analyzed. The results indicate that 50.5% of participants were female, 85% were single, 82.6% Catholic, 79.8% lived with their parents, 84.4% were not employed, 62.4% had already have a casual dating and only 14.7% have had sexual intercourse, and among those who have initiated sexual practices 11% used a condom during the last intercourse. Regarding oral health, it was observed that: 96.3% considered it important and 96.3% were in the habit of brushing the teeth daily. About involvements in the oral cavity: 54.1% have observed that had bad breath, 32.1 % bleeding gums, 49.5% caries, and 53.2% bad position of the teeth and in relation to oral self-image, most reported to be dissatisfied because of aesthetic factors. After educational intervention there was improvement in knowledge of adolescents on STIs, particularly among those who have had sexual intercourse (p = 0.018) and it was observed that the average knowledge score of girls and boys, although not statistically associated, increased in the postintervention, since the average score rose from 8 points for 14. At the end, the intervention carried out in school with a focus on oral health and sexual health showed that it is possible, through innovative and soft technologies strategies, to promote Health Education to adolescents, favoring the empowerment for having healthy attitudes thus lowering vulnerabilities to which they are exposed.