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Fatores motivacionais e de decisão na procura de tratamento ortodôntico por pacientes adultos em Portugal
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| 2.28 MB | Adobe PDF |
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Objetivo: Investigar os principais fatores que motivam os adultos residentes em Portugal a procurar tratamento ortodôntico, explorando as motivações subjacentes como a valorização da estética facial, o aumento da autoestima ou a correção de recidivas de tratamentos anteriores. Adicionalmente, pretendeu-se analisar os tipos de informação mais apreciados pelos pacientes durante o processo de tomada de decisão, bem como identificar os fatores decisivos que moldam essa escolha.
Materiais e Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, prospetivo e descritivo, conduzido através de um questionário online estruturado, no Google Forms. A amostra foi composta por 154 adultos residentes em Portugal, recrutados por meio de divulgação em plataformas digitais. Para a análise dos dados, recorreu-se à estatística descritiva.
Foram calculadas frequências absolutas e relativas, medidas de tendência central e a distribuição de respostas em escala de Likert.
Resultados: As principais motivações para o início do tratamento ortodôntico foram a prevenção de complicações dentárias futuras e a melhoria da autoestima. A decisão de iniciar o tratamento revelou-se fortemente influenciada pela recomendação do dentista e pela perceção da qualidade dos resultados esperados. O ortodontista foi identificado como a fonte de informação mais confiável, com impacto significativo no processo decisório.
As principais barreiras referidas foram o custo e a longa duração do tratamento. Ainda assim, a maioria dos participantes que concluíram o tratamento relatou elevados níveis de satisfação.
Conclusões: Este estudo oferece uma visão do comportamento do paciente adulto em Portugal, demonstrando que a decisão de iniciar o tratamento está predominantemente associada a motivações pessoais, à confiança no profissional de saúde oral e à qualidade da informação recebida. Os dados reforçam a importância de uma abordagem clínica centrada no paciente, com comunicação eficaz e estratégias que superem barreiras económicas e informativas.
Objective: To investigate the main factors that motivate adults living in Portugal to seek orthodontic treatment, exploring underlying motivations such as enhancing facial aesthetics, increasing self-esteem, or correcting relapses from previous treatments. Additionally, the objective was to analyze the types of information most valued by patients during the decision-making process, as well as identify the decisive factors that shape this choice. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study conducted using a structured online questionnaire in Google Forms. The sample consisted of 154 adults living in Portugal, recruited through advertising on digital platforms. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Absolute and relative frequencies, measures of central tendency, and the distribution of responses on a Likert scale were calculated. Results: The main motivations for initiating orthodontic treatment were preventing future dental complications and improving self-esteem. The decision to initiate treatment was strongly influenced by the dentist's recommendation and the perceived quality of the expected results. The orthodontist was identified as the most reliable source of information, with a significant impact on the decision-making process. The main barriers cited were cost and the length of treatment. Nevertheless, most participants who completed treatment reported high levels of satisfaction. Conclusions: This study offers insight into adult patient behavior in Portugal, demonstrating that the decision to initiate treatment is predominantly associated with personal motivations, trust in the oral health professional, and the quality of the information received. The data reinforce the importance of a patient-centered clinical approach, with effective communication and strategies that overcome economic and informational barriers.
Objective: To investigate the main factors that motivate adults living in Portugal to seek orthodontic treatment, exploring underlying motivations such as enhancing facial aesthetics, increasing self-esteem, or correcting relapses from previous treatments. Additionally, the objective was to analyze the types of information most valued by patients during the decision-making process, as well as identify the decisive factors that shape this choice. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study conducted using a structured online questionnaire in Google Forms. The sample consisted of 154 adults living in Portugal, recruited through advertising on digital platforms. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Absolute and relative frequencies, measures of central tendency, and the distribution of responses on a Likert scale were calculated. Results: The main motivations for initiating orthodontic treatment were preventing future dental complications and improving self-esteem. The decision to initiate treatment was strongly influenced by the dentist's recommendation and the perceived quality of the expected results. The orthodontist was identified as the most reliable source of information, with a significant impact on the decision-making process. The main barriers cited were cost and the length of treatment. Nevertheless, most participants who completed treatment reported high levels of satisfaction. Conclusions: This study offers insight into adult patient behavior in Portugal, demonstrating that the decision to initiate treatment is predominantly associated with personal motivations, trust in the oral health professional, and the quality of the information received. The data reinforce the importance of a patient-centered clinical approach, with effective communication and strategies that overcome economic and informational barriers.
Description
Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre no Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz
Keywords
Fatores de decisão Fatores motivacionais Procura de informação Tratamento ortodôntico