Práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde: uma abordagem sobre o conhecimento dos Profissionais de Odontologia da Atenção Básica no Município do Sertão da Paraíba.

Abstract

With the growing visibility of integrative and complementary health practices (PICS), since its implementation, the World Health Organization started to recognize the demands of PICS in oral health as well. With that, in 2008, the Federal Council of Dentistry started to regulate the use of six PICS by the dental surgeon (DC). The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and usability of PICS by the Primary Care DCs in Patos-PB. Data collection was performed during visits to Basic Health Units, using an individual and self-completed questionnaire. The research had as participants the DCs working in the Primary Health Care of the municipality. Twenty-nine professionals answered the questionnaire, of which 62.06% (n=18) said they knew what PICS are, but only 27.58% (n=8) reported being aware of the resolution that regulates them in Dentistry; 93.1% (n=27) think it is important to introduce teaching about PICS since graduation and only 20.68% (n=6) said they had participated in a training course in the area. As for the use of PICS, only 24.13% (n=7) revealed having used or prescribed some complementary therapy in their care and 86.2% (n=25) stated that they did not feel prepared for it. It is concluded that there is a high number of dentistry professionals in Patos-PB, who do not use PICS in oral health care and who demonstrate that they do not feel secure enough to apply them in clinical care. The failure in the training process during the academic and professional preparation of these CDs constitutes the main obstacle to the performance of these practices, thus, there is a need for changes in the curriculum of Dentistry courses in the offer of disciplines that address PICS, in addition to greater investment in qualification courses aimed at already working professionals.