Mensuração do racismo moderno entre estudantes de graduação em odontologia no Brasil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between Modern Racism and sociodemographic and economic characteristics of Brazilian undergraduate dental students. A cross-sectional observational survey research was conducted using an electronic questionnaire, available online on the Google Forms platform. Undergraduate dental students enrolled in public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEI) located in the North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and South regional divisions of Brazil were invited to participate. A convenience sample using the technique of snowball sampling was adopted. Students were recruited by remote classes, email, and social media (Instagram and WhatsApp). Students were invited to respond to an electronic form divided into sections: (1) statement of the ethical issues and eligibility criteria, (2) collection of sociodemographic and economic data, and (3) exhibition of the Brazilian version of the Modern Racism Scale (B-MRS). All items of the electronic form were of mandatory response for its completion and submission. Responses on the B-MRS were rated on a 7-point Likert-type scale. Higher scores on the B-MRS would signify higher levels of Modern Racism. The total score on the B-MRS corresponded to the dependent variable, while dental students' sociodemographic and economic data corresponded to the independent variables. Statistical analyzis included descriptive, bivariate analyzis, and Poisson regression with robust variance (p<0.05). Participated in this survey 441 Brazilian undergraduate dental students, of which most self-declared to be white (54.9%) and female (78.1%). The bivariate analyzis demonstrated higher B-MRS scores among non-white participants, compared to those self-declared as white (p=0.002). Nonetheless, this association was not observed on the multivariate adjusted model. The multivariate analyzis observed higher scores on the B-MRS among male students compared to female (Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 1.130; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.027-1.244) and those enrolled in private educational institutions when compared to students from public institutions (PR = 1.404; 95% CI: 1.272-1.550). Participants of the lowest socioeconomic status, Class E, obtained higher B-MRS scores compared to those of the highest, Class A (PR = 1.321; 95% CI: 1.134-1.538). Dental students from the North (PR = 1.410; 95% CI: 1.173-1.695) and Northeast (PR = 1.187; 95% CI: 1.023-1.378) regional divisions of Brazil scored higher B-MRS means than those from the South. Thus, this survey research concluded that the total score on the B-MRS was influenced by the sociodemographic and economic characteristics of Brazilian undergraduate dental students.