ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Assessing health-related quality of life is an important aspect of clinical practice. Thus, the present study attempts to assess the health-related quality of life of patients with chronic liver disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 133 chronic liver disease patients, using three instruments: a demographic questionnaire, the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease index. Variables were expressed as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The statistical analysis included Pearson's correlation, Student's t-test, and analysis of variance (p < 0.05 was considered significant). RESULTS: The mean age of included subjects was 50.5 ± 13.3 years. The majority were male (66.2%), Caucasian (70.7%), and had a family income of US$329-US$658.2. Over half of the patients (56.4%) were infected by hepatitis C virus and 93.2% had low Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was related to age (r = 0.185;p = 0.033). Higher mean Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire scores were obtained for emotional function (39.70/SD ± 12.98) and while lower scores were obtained for abdominal symptoms (16.00/SD ± 6.25). Fifty-two patients (39.1%) presented overall low (<5) Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire scores. Furthermore, Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire score was related to family income (r = 0.187, p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: Most individuals presented high mean Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire scores, indicating low health-related quality of life, especially individuals with low family income.

Este estudo transversal e descritivo objetivou verificar a prevalência de hábitos de sucção em pré-escolares e a percepção dos pais sobre a relação com a ocorrência de maloclusões. A população do estudo constituiu-se por uma amostra representativa de pais de pré-escolares de 4 meses a 6 anos de idade. Utilizou-se um questionário semiestruturado, composto por questões abertas e fechadas, referentes à frequência e conhecimentos dos pais frente aos hábitos de sucção não nutritivos. Dos 356 participantes da pesquisa, 70,8% afirmaram que as crianças apresentavam algum hábito bucal, sendo a sucção de chupeta o mais frequente (45,6%). Apesar da grande maioria dos pesquisados (97,1%) relatarem saber que os hábitos podiam causar prejuízo aos dentes, 70,2% deles já haviam oferecido chupeta à criança, na maioria das vezes para acalmá-la (61,8%). Houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre a oferta da chupeta à criança e o conhecimento sobre a relação da presença de hábitos não nutritivos e a ocorrência de maloclusão (p < 0,0001 e Qui-quadrado = 60,123). A prevalência de hábitos bucais na população estudada é alta e, apesar da maioria dos pais saberem que o hábito de sucção de chupeta pode causar danos à saúde bucal, ofertavam a chupeta a fim de acalmar a criança.

This cross-sectional and descriptive study sought to verify the prevalence of sucking habits in preschoolers and their parents' perception of its relationship with the occurrence of malocclusion. The population consisted of a representative sample of parents of preschoolers aged between 4 months and 6 years old. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used, consisting of open and closed questions relating to frequency of use and knowledge of parents regarding non-nutritive sucking habits. Of the 356 respondents, 70.8% stated that the children had some oral habit, with pacifier sucking being the most frequent (45.6%). Although the majority (97.1%) of the parents or caregivers admitted being aware that these habits could be detrimental to teeth, 70.2% of the respondents had already offered a pacifier to children, in most cases to calm them (61.8%). There was a statistically significant association between offering a pacifier to a child and knowledge about the relationship of the existence of non-nutritive habits and the occurrence of malocclusion (p <0.0001 and Chi-square = 60.123). The conclusion is that the prevalence of oral habits of the population is high and, despite the majority of parents knowing that pacifier sucking can cause damage to oral health, they offer them to calm the child.

Este estudo transversal e descritivo objetivou verificar a prevalência de hábitos de sucção em pré-escolares e a percepção dos pais sobre a relação com a ocorrência de maloclusões. A população do estudo constituiu-se por uma amostra representativa de pais de pré-escolares de 4 meses a 6 anos de idade. Utilizou-se um questionário semiestruturado, composto por questões abertas e fechadas, referentes à frequência e conhecimentos dos pais frente aos hábitos de sucção não nutritivos. Dos 356 participantes da pesquisa, 70,8% afirmaram que as crianças apresentavam algum hábito bucal, sendo a sucção de chupeta o mais frequente (45,6%). Apesar da grande maioria dos pesquisados (97,1%) relatarem saber que os hábitos podiam causar prejuízo aos dentes, 70,2% deles já haviam oferecido chupeta à criança, na maioria das vezes para acalmá-la (61,8%). Houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre a oferta da chupeta à criança e o conhecimento sobre a relação da presença de hábitos não nutritivos e a ocorrência de maloclusão (p < 0,0001 e Qui-quadrado = 60,123). A prevalência de hábitos bucais na população estudada é alta e, apesar da maioria dos pais saberem que o hábito de sucção de chupeta pode causar danos à saúde bucal, ofertavam a chupeta a fim de acalmar a criança.

This cross-sectional and descriptive study sought to verify the prevalence of sucking habits in preschoolers and their parents' perception of its relationship with the occurrence of malocclusion. The population consisted of a representative sample of parents of preschoolers aged between 4 months and 6 years old. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used, consisting of open and closed questions relating to frequency of use and knowledge of parents regarding non-nutritive sucking habits. Of the 356 respondents, 70.8% stated that the children had some oral habit, with pacifier sucking being the most frequent (45.6%). Although the majority (97.1%) of the parents or caregivers admitted being aware that these habits could be detrimental to teeth, 70.2% of the respondents had already offered a pacifier to children, in most cases to calm them (61.8%). There was a statistically significant association between offering a pacifier to a child and knowledge about the relationship of the existence of non-nutritive habits and the occurrence of malocclusion (p <0.0001 and Chi-square = 60.123). The conclusion is that the prevalence of oral habits of the population is high and, despite the majority of parents knowing that pacifier sucking can cause damage to oral health, they offer them to calm the child.

Objectives Fluoride levels in the public water supplies of 40 Brazilian cities were analyzed and classified on the basis of risk/benefit balance. Material and Methods Samples were collected monthly over a seven-year period from three sites for each water supply source. The samples were analyzed in duplicate in the laboratory of the Center for Research in Public Health - UNESP using an ion analyzer coupled to a fluoride-specific electrode. Results A total of 19,533 samples were analyzed, of which 18,847 were artificially fluoridated and 686 were not artificially fluoridated. In samples from cities performing water fluoridation, 51.57% (n=9,720) had fluoride levels in the range of 0.55 to 0.84 mg F/L; 30.53% (n=5,754) were below 0.55 mg F/L and 17.90% (n=3,373) were above 0.84 mg F/L (maximum concentration=6.96 mg F/L). Most of the cities performing fluoridation that had a majority of samples with fluoride levels above the recommended parameter had deep wells and more than one source of water supply. There was some variability in the fluoride levels of samples from the same site and between collection sites in the same city. Conclusions The majority of samples from cities performing fluoridation had fluoride levels within the range that provides the best combination of risks and benefits, minimizing the risk of dental fluorosis while preventing dental caries. The conduction of studies about water distribution systems is suggested in cities with high natural fluoride concentrations in order to optimize the use of natural fluoride for fluoridation costs and avoid the risk of dental fluorosis.