Oral Health in Quilombos: An exploratory approach in Quilombo Remnant Communities in the state of Pernambuco
1
Collective Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Ministry of Health, Recife, Brazil
2
Collective Health, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Brazil
3
Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2746
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The remaining quilombo communities are formed by ethnic-racial groups historically marked by resistance to oppression and the struggle for rights. Despite the formal recognition of these territories, structural inequalities persist that impact access to public policies, including oral health. This study aimed to map the distribution of quilombola communities and the oral health care network in Pernambuco, as well as to analyze the relationship between self-perception, clinical oral health conditions, and associated factors among children and adolescents from a quilombola community in the state.
METHODS:
This is a mixed-methods study. Initially, an ecological study was conducted with spatial analysis of quilombola communities and primary and secondary oral health care services, based on secondary data. Subsequently, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Quilombola Remnant Community of Angico (PE), with the application of a structured questionnaire and clinical examination of oral health conditions in children/adolescents aged 10-14 years.
RESULTS:
In Pernambuco, 159 quilombola communities were identified in 56 municipalities, highlighting inequalities in the organization of the oral health network, expressed by the low presence of Dental Specialty Centers (26.9%) and the inadequate allocation of the 40-hour Oral Health Teams – Quilombola/Settled, of which only 34.6% are located in municipalities with certified communities. In the cross-sectional study, adolescents presented a mean DMFT (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth) index of 1.87, with high variability, and 62.2% required immediate dental treatment, with 66.3% reporting a need for care. Discrepancies were observed between self-reported data and clinical findings, indicating under-identification of clinical problems.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings point to the importance of public policies that consider the territory, experiences, and knowledge of quilombola communities, as well as educational actions that engage with their realities, in order to address the social, racial, and territorial inequalities that affect oral health conditions.
The remaining quilombo communities are formed by ethnic-racial groups historically marked by resistance to oppression and the struggle for rights. Despite the formal recognition of these territories, structural inequalities persist that impact access to public policies, including oral health. This study aimed to map the distribution of quilombola communities and the oral health care network in Pernambuco, as well as to analyze the relationship between self-perception, clinical oral health conditions, and associated factors among children and adolescents from a quilombola community in the state.
METHODS:
This is a mixed-methods study. Initially, an ecological study was conducted with spatial analysis of quilombola communities and primary and secondary oral health care services, based on secondary data. Subsequently, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Quilombola Remnant Community of Angico (PE), with the application of a structured questionnaire and clinical examination of oral health conditions in children/adolescents aged 10-14 years.
RESULTS:
In Pernambuco, 159 quilombola communities were identified in 56 municipalities, highlighting inequalities in the organization of the oral health network, expressed by the low presence of Dental Specialty Centers (26.9%) and the inadequate allocation of the 40-hour Oral Health Teams – Quilombola/Settled, of which only 34.6% are located in municipalities with certified communities. In the cross-sectional study, adolescents presented a mean DMFT (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth) index of 1.87, with high variability, and 62.2% required immediate dental treatment, with 66.3% reporting a need for care. Discrepancies were observed between self-reported data and clinical findings, indicating under-identification of clinical problems.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings point to the importance of public policies that consider the territory, experiences, and knowledge of quilombola communities, as well as educational actions that engage with their realities, in order to address the social, racial, and territorial inequalities that affect oral health conditions.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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