Abstract
Objective:
To describe and compare the oral health assistance at the Province of Granada, Spain, and at Santa Catarina, Brazil nursing homes.
Methodology:
It is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected through closed questionnaire, sent by mail, for the nursing homes registered in Granada (99) and Santa Catarina (78), in 2005.
Results:
The residences profile (29 in SC and 30 in Granada) was similar with predominance of the profit organizations. There were no significant statistical differences among the elderly, except concerning the average amount of nursing homes above the combined median values for number of women and totally dependent, higher in Granada. Although the grenadines residences present larger number of health professionals, there are no differences in precarious oral health assistance to the elderly, considering: the registration of oral health conditions, the circumstances in that those conditions are evaluated and the systematic oral hygiene protocol. In face of an oral health problem presented by the elderly, the family is communicated, more frequently, in the grenadine residences.
Conclusions:
Oral health assistance is not a systematic practice in the investigated institutions in both areas, and the solution is transfered to the elderly's family or local health services when problems appear. The most cited hygiene procedures were tooth and prostheses brushing, however ineffective practices are mentioned. It was frequent the allegation of lack of elderly's cooperation to justify the absence of a systematic oral hygiene, revealing the transference of responsibilities of the institutions and cares to the elderly.
Key-words:
Aged; Elderly; Nursing Homes; Oral Health; Dental Care for Aged; Health Services for the Aged; Homes for the Aged; Comparative Study; Cross-Sectional Studies; Granada, Espanha; Santa Catarina, Brasil