The global spread of COVID-19 forced schools at all educational levels to close, which was repeated in more than 60 countries. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of ...dental students world wide. This study hypothesizes that the prevalence of depression in dental students from El Salvador is higher than that reported in studies from Europe, Asia, and North America.
This study was an online cross-sectional survey performed at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Salvador. The PHQ-9 questionnaire was applied to know the level of depression of the students, and a questionnaire focused on learning the opinion of the students on the hybrid teaching model adopted. Approximately 450 students participated in both questionnaires.
Regarding the levels of depression present in the students, 14% had minimal depression, 29% had medium depression, 23% had moderate depression and, 34% had severe depression. The students had an excellent opinion regarding the hybrid learning model.
The prevalence of depression in dental students in El Salvador seems to be higher than that reported in studies in non-Latin American countries. Therefore, universities must generate care plans for mental health to avoid these harmful effects on students during future contingencies.
Abstract
Introduction
Older adults are a highly vulnerable group in their general health condition, including oral health that can be influenced by different factors, among them, changes in oral ...tissues inherent to the physiological processes of aging and by systemic condition. In El Salvador, it is a group that has received little attention at the public health level.
Objective
To determine the profile of the oral health status and treatment needs of the elderly population in El Salvador.
Materials and methods
Secondary cross-sectional analysis of data from the last oral health survey in 471 Salvadorans aged 60 years and older. The variables under study were: sociodemographics, brushing frequency, oral hygiene according to simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), caries experience according to decayed, missing, and filled teeth index (DMFT) modified with international caries detection and assessment system (ICDAS) criteria, periodontal status through the community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN), edentulism and treatment needs. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square test, ANOVA, z-test and linear regression (
p
< 0.05).
Results
The older adults presented poor oral hygiene, low brushing frequency, high tooth loss with an average of 16 missing teeth while one third presented total edentulism. Most of the older adults were categorized as having "poor or very Poor" oral hygiene. Almost all respondents presented some degree of periodontal disease and required restorative intervention.
Conclusion
The oral health status of elderly Salvadoran is poor. Furthermore, the development of public policies and specific oral health strategies aimed at this population is urgent.
Background and objectives: This study aimed to identify the relationship between prevention measures and protective barriers in dental practice in El Salvador and Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic ...in 2020 and 2021.Materials and methods: A longitudinal study was conducted from June 2020 to December 2021, involving 1,719 dentists divided into four groups based on location and year. A 20-question survey in Spanish was utilized and validated with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.84.Results: The use of phone triage (OR = 1.3), thermometers (OR = 1.4), physical distancing (OR = 1.7), and face shields (OR = 2.6) was significantly associated with dental practice in both countries during the pandemic.Conclusions: During 2020 and 2021, dental care in El Salvador and Mexico was significantly linked to COVID-19 preventive measures. Phone triage, thermometers, distancing, and face shields positively correlated with dental services. National health agencies should promote the use of minimum preventive measures in dental care, preparing for potential reinfections or new pandemics from emerging virus variants.
Background and aims
People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for adverse outcomes across multiple dimensions. While evidence‐based interventions are available, services are often fragmented and ...difficult to access. We measured the effectiveness of an integrated care van (ICV) that offered services for PWID.
Design, setting and participants
This was a cluster‐randomized trial, which took place in Baltimore, MD, USA. Prior to randomization, we used a research van to recruit PWID cohorts from 12 Baltimore neighborhoods (sites), currently served by the city's mobile needle exchange program.
Intervention and comparator
We randomized sites to receive weekly visits from the ICV (n = 6) or to usual services (n = 6) for 14 months. The ICV offered case management; buprenorphine/naloxone; screening for HIV, hepatitis C virus and sexually transmitted infections; HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis; and wound care.
Measurements
The primary outcome was a composite harm mitigation score that captured access to evidence‐based services, risk behaviors and adverse health events (range = 0−15, with higher numbers indicating worse status). We evaluated effectiveness by comparing changes in the composite score at 7 months versus baseline in the two study arms.
Findings
We enrolled 720 cohort participants across the study sites (60 per site) between June 2018 and August 2019: 38.3% women, 72.6% black and 85.1% urine drug test positive for fentanyl. Over a median of 10.4 months, the ICV provided services to 734 unique clients (who may or may not have been cohort participants) across the six intervention sites, including HIV/hepatitis C virus testing in 577 (78.6%) and buprenorphine/naloxone initiation in 540 (74%). However, only 52 (7.2%) of cohort participants received services on the ICV. The average composite score decreased at 7 months relative to baseline, with no significant difference in the change between ICV and usual services (difference in differences: −0.31; 95% confidence interval: −0.70, 0.08; P = 0.13).
Conclusions
This cluster‐randomized trial in Baltimore, MD, USA, found no evidence that weekly neighborhood visits from a mobile health van providing injection‐drug‐focused services improved access to services and outcomes among people who injected drugs in the neighborhood, relative to usual services. The van successfully served large numbers of clients but unexpectedly low use of the van by cohort participants limited the ability to detect meaningful differences.
Resumen Objetivo: Comparar la prevalencia de caries dental y necesidades de tratamiento según criterios International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) y CPO-D, en niños de 7-8 años de ...Centros Escolares públicos rurales pertenecientes a 16 municipios de El Salvador. Materiales y métodos: El diseño corresponde a una investigación epidemiológica descriptiva transversal realizada a partir de las historias clínicas de 420 escolares de 7 - 8 años de zonas rurales de El Salvador; el diagnóstico de caries se estableció con base en criterios ICDAS. Las variables analizadas fueron: prevalencia de caries y necesidades de tratamientos. El CPO-D/ceo-d se estableció excluyendo las fases precavitacionales de la enfermedad, se empleó T de Student para probar las diferencias de las medias entre índices y la Prueba de Levene para evaluar la igualdad de las varianzas. La significación estadística fue fijada en p <0,05. Resultados: Según ICDAS, cada niño presentó un promedio de 9.52 dientes afectados por caries y 6.24 según CPO. La diferencia encontrada entre índices es significativa en dientes permanentes y en primarios (p<0,05). Los diagnósticos según criterios ICDAS, generaron 4,269 necesidades de tratamientos curativos y 4,475 preventivos; mientras que con CPO, 2,997 tratamientos curativos y ningún preventivo. Conclusiones: ICDAS reflejó una mayor afectación por caries al considerar los estadios precavitacionales; por tanto, permite establecer una diversidad de tratamientos preventivos y de limitación del daño, que, en su mayoría, no es posible indicar con CPO.
