Surveillance of public water supply fluoridation from the perspective of municipal health department technicians: a cross-sectional study, Goiás, 2022–2023

OBJECTIVE: To investigate public water supply fluoridation surveillance actions in Goiás from the perspective of municipal health department technicians. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with technicians responsible for water quality surveillance in each municipality of Goiás with fluoridated water. The final sample comprised 169 participants who completed an electronic questionnaire between 2022 and 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: More than half had completed higher education (56.8%) and held permanent positions (58.6%). Most reported knowing the Ministry of Health regulations, either fully or partially (95.3%), and considered fluoride analysis very important or important (87.8%). Less than half (42.6%) rated their level of training as very good or good, and 56.8% knew the purpose of fluoride. Analysis of this parameter was carried out by 26 municipalities (15.4%), of which 65.4% entered data into the Water Quality Surveillance Information System for Human Consumption (Sisagua). The most frequent reasons for not performing fluoridation surveillance were the lack of requests from the State Health Department (36.1%), materials and equipment (36.1%), knowledge (27.8%), and trained professionals (22.5%). CONCLUSION: Fluoridation surveillance actions were not systematically carried out by most technicians in the surveyed municipalities. Several difficulties and weaknesses were identified, indicating the need for actions to support compliance with the national policy on water surveillance for human consumption.