Vitimização por bullying e qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal em escolares: um estudo de base populacional

Abstract

As school bullying is a pertinent and globally studied topic, work that addresses its impact on the lives of those victimized is becoming increasingly relevant. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of bullying victimization and evaluate its impact on quality of life related to oral health in schoolchildren. It consisted of a cross-sectional study carried out in Campina Grande – PB, with a probabilistic cluster sample of 461 students aged 12 to 15 of both sexes, enrolled in urban municipal public elementary schools. To describe socioeconomic data and family context, a questionnaire was administered to parents/guardians. Bullying was assessed using the victim version of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire, while dental bullying was assessed by a question about the possible causes of its occurrence and to measure quality of life related to oral health, Oral Health was used. Impact Profile (OHIP-14), with the variable dichotomized, according to the median, into two groups: with and without impact. In data analysis, descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square test were used to investigate the characteristics associated with bullying victimization and quality of life related to oral health. The prevalence of bullying victimization was 35.8% among schoolchildren, with emphasis on the category of verbal bullying. Victimization was associated with dental bullying (p<0.001). Regarding OHRQoL, 49.9% of students had an impact, with “psychological discomfort” (34.3%) and “social limitations” (25.6%) being the most affected areas. OHRQoL was associated with gender (p<0.001), bullying victimization (p<0.001) and dental bullying (p<0.001). A high prevalence of bullying victimization was observed among schoolchildren, with an emphasis on the use of swearing as a form of violence. The quality of life related to oral health was impacted, with psychological and social aspects being the most reported by adolescents.