Socioeconomic Profile of Patients Treated at the Children's Rehabilitation Center of Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Objective: To describe the socio-epidemiological profile of patients treated at the Children's Rehabilitation Center of Natal, Brazil, which is a reference institution in the treatment of patients with special needs aged 0-18 years. Material and Methods: Medical records and statistics (SAME) from January to December 2010 were analyzed, totaling 846 medical records. Data were collected through pre-elaborated evaluation form, with socioeconomic information, medical clinical condition (ICD), and dental clinical status. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted, presenting data in absolute frequencies and percentages. The intersection of data, applying the chi-square test was not statistically significant (p < 5%). R 2.13.1 and Minitab 14 were used. Results: There was prevalence of males (60.52%); age group 0-5 years (52.36%); mesoregion of eastern Rio Grande do Norte (62.53%); income below the minimum wage (78.6%); equivalence between diseases of the nervous system (G) (30.97%), congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q) (30.73%); in males, mental and behavioral disorders (F) were prevalent (31.64%), and in females, diseases of the nervous system (G) were prevalent (32.33%); in dental records, the performance of preventive procedures was reported in 18.71%; restorative procedures in 45.7% and surgical. procedures in 21.8% The average number of decayed teeth was higher in individuals aged over 12 years (5.1), while the standard deviation ranged from 6 to 12 (2.5). Conclusion: The profile of patients is characterized by the predominance of male children with mental and behavioral disorders (F), aged 0-5 years living in the mesoregion of eastern Rio Grande do Norte and income less than one minimum wage. Preventive dental procedures accounted for the highest number of procedures.