Knowledge, Protective Behaviors and Risk Perception of COVID-19 among Dental Students in India: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Objective: This study’s objective was to examine the knowledge, performance in practicing protective behaviors, and risk perception of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) among dental students of India. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from 10–30 August 2020, involving 381 dental students that were enrolled at the Uttaranchal Dental and Medical Research Institute in India. A web-based structured questionnaire assessed the COVID-19 related knowledge, protective behaviors, and risk perception performance. The independent-samples-t and analysis of variance tests were used to analyze the differences in knowledge, protective behaviors, and perception across the groups. Results: Of the dental students surveyed, 83% had adequate knowledge of COVID-19, and nearly 80% followed appropriate practices regarding COVID-19. The COVID-19 related risk perception was higher among females as compared to males. COVID-19 related knowledge was significantly correlated with preventive behaviors (r = 0.18; p < 0·01) and risk perception (r = 0.10; p < 0.05). We found a high score of COVID-19 related knowledge and precautionary behaviors and moderate risk perception among students. Conclusions: Knowledge and protective behaviors towards infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, have clinical applications in developing educational and formal training programs to promote adherence to the infection control practices among dental students. Clinical significance: The findings of this study will inform policymakers to emphasize on effective risk communication. Dental institutions can incorporate infection control modules in the current curriculum, thereby making future dental professionals capable of performing effective infection control management in the clinical settings. This is critical in improving their knowledge of infection control practices to minimize the risk of nosocomial infections.

Download Full-text

Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes Regarding COVID-19 and Infection Control Measures Against it among Dental Students in Saudi Arabia

The Open Dentistry Journal ◽

10.2174/1874210602115010479 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 479-486

Author(s):

Tahani M. Alharbi ◽

Afrah M. Alharbi ◽

Rafal K. Khayyat ◽

Jawaher B. Aldaadi ◽

Ibtesam K. Afifi

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Infection Control ◽

Dental Students ◽

Control Measures ◽

Dental Practice ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Infection Control Measures ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes ◽

Increased Risk

Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease caused by an RNA virus named SARS CoV2. The increased risk of infection by this virus among dental students necessitates updated knowledge and highlights their important role in preventing and controlling its transmission. Objective: This study aims to assess knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding COVID-19 and infection control measures among dental students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental students in different Saudi universities using an online self-administered questionnaire. It gathered data on students’ demographic information, knowledge of COVID-19 and infection control measures, risk perception and attitudes toward the disease, and their preparedness for treating infected patients. Results: A total of 327 dental students responded to the questionnaire. Of these students, 92.4% had received training in infection control in dental practice, but only 24.2% had attended training regarding COVID-19. The majority of students had adequate knowledge regarding the modes of transmission and the common symptoms of COVID-19, with statistically significant total mean knowledge scores among students in different academic years (p<0.05). A large percentage of the students (92.7%) agreed that the use of rubber dams or high-volume saliva ejectors could reduce the possibility of transmitting infection. However, 58.4% of the students disagreed that intraoral dental radiographs should be avoided to reduce the possibility of transmitting infection. Conclusion: Although knowledge of and risk perception concerning COVID-19 among students is good, additional training sessions integrating recent international guidelines for infection control are required to update their knowledge and achieve safe dental practice.

Download Full-text

Use of antenatal magnesium sulfate for neuroprotection: a survey of national practices

International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ◽

10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20211088 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 744

Author(s):

Shivshankar Diggikar ◽

Srikanth Kulkarni ◽

Abhishek S. Aradhya ◽

Praveen Venkatagiri

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Private Sector ◽

Magnesium Sulfate ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Attitude And Practice

This web-based cross-sectional survey suggests that uptake of antenatal magnesium sulfate for babies<32 weeks is about 75.2% (67/89) of centres in India, more in private sector hospitals 53/66 (80.3%) compared to public sector hospitals 14/23 (60.8%). A written policy for managing babies<32 weeks is available in 62.9% of units. Adequate facilities were available in 94.3% of units to administer magnesium sulfate. Although there is adequate knowledge (89.8%) about the beneficial effects of antenatal magnesium sulfate, attitude, and practice seem to be the major hurdle in implementation.

Download Full-text

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Infection Control Among Undergraduate Dental Students at B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-783440/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pujan Acharya ◽

Ratna Baral ◽

Sajeev Shrestha ◽

Dharanidhar Baral

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Health Sciences ◽

Dental Students ◽

Working Environment ◽

P Value ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

The Difference ◽

Knowledge And Attitude

Abstract Background: In academic institutes, dental students are not only involved in academic activities, but also in the management of patients’ care. This calls for inculcation of adequate knowledge and positive attitude among them so that a good clinical practice is implemented in the dental setting, thereby creating a safe working environment for students as well as patients. Thus, the study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitude regarding infection control among undergraduate dental students of B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.Methods: An online descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at BPKIHS from February till March 2021. Undergraduate students from third year, fourth year and internship were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire comprised of demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude regarding infection control was used to collect the data via a Google form. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the data. The p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval.Results: A total of 136 undergraduate dental students participated out of which 65.0% were females and 35.0% were males. Out of the total participants, 78.7% were found to have adequate knowledge while 74.3% participants showed ‘positive’ attitude. Mean age of the participants with adequate knowledge was significantly higher than participants with inadequate knowledge (p=0.047). The difference in knowledge among participants was statistically significant (p=0.001) in academic years. The majority (90.4%) of interns showed adequate knowledge followed by fourth year (83.7%) and third year (58.7%) students. The difference in attitude, was also statistically significant (p= 0.011) in academic years, but it was mostly (90.4%) of positive attitude in fourth year participants followed by third year (68.3%) and Interns (65.4 %).Conclusion: The present study reports adequate knowledge and positive attitude regarding infection control among undergraduate dental students in BPKIHS. Further studies are encouraged to be conducted among students from different academic institutes all over the country to ascertain their level of attitude and knowledge regarding infection control in dental care services.

Download Full-text

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Infection Control Among Undergraduate Dental Students At B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

10.21203/rs.3.rs-671272/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pujan Acharya ◽

Ratna Baral ◽

Sajeev Shrestha ◽

Dharanidhar Baral

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Health Sciences ◽

Dental Students ◽

Working Environment ◽

P Value ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

The Difference ◽

Knowledge And Attitude

Abstract Background In academic institutes, dental students are not only involved in academic activities, but also in the management of patients’ care. This calls for inculcation of adequate knowledge and positive attitude among them so that a good clinical practice is implemented in the dental setting, thereby creating a safe working environment for students as well as patients. Thus, the study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitude regarding infection control among undergraduate dental students of B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. Methods and materials: An online descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at BPKIHS from February till March 2021. Undergraduate students from third year, fourth year and internship were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire comprised of demographic, knowledge and attitude regarding infection control was used to collect the data via a Google form. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the data. The p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. Result A total of 136 undergraduate dental students participated out of which 65.0% were females and 35.0% were males. Out of the total participants, 78.7% were found to have adequate knowledge while 74.3% participants showed ‘positive’ attitude. Mean age of the participants with adequate knowledge was significantly higher than participants with inadequate knowledge (p = 0.047). The difference in knowledge among participants was statistically significant (p = 0.001) in academic years. The majority (90.4%) of interns showed adequate knowledge followed by fourth year (83.7%) and third year (58.7%) students. The difference in attitude, was also statistically significant (p = 0.011) in academic years, but it was mostly (90.4%) of positive attitude in fourth year participants followed by third year (68.3%) and Interns (65.4 %). Conclusion The present study reports adequate knowledge and positive attitude regarding infection control among undergraduate dental students in BPKIHS. Further studies are encouraged to be conducted among students from different academic institutes all over the country to ascertain their level of attitude and knowledge regarding infection control in dental care services.

Download Full-text

How Information Sources, Risk Perception, and Efficacy Appraisal Predicted Engagement in Protective Behaviors Against COVID-19: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey in China (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.23232 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jian Raymond Rui ◽

Keqing Yang ◽

Juan Chen

Keyword(s):

Risk Perception ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Protective Behaviors ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perceived Susceptibility ◽

Perceived Severity ◽

Response Efficacy ◽

Protective Actions ◽

Expert Sources

BACKGROUND As the COVID-19 pandemic has become a major public health threat worldwide, it is critical to understand what factors affect individual engagement in protective actions. Because of its authoritarian political system and state-owned media system, how Chinese individuals engaged in protective actions against COVID-19 might be different compared to other countries. OBJECTIVE The purpose of the present study is to examine how the source of information about COVID-19, Chinese individuals’ risk perception of COVID-19 (i.e., perceived severity and perceived susceptibility), and their efficacy appraisal in controlling COVID-19 (i.e., response efficacy and self-efficacy) affected their engagement in protective actions. Additionally, this study aims to investigate whether there is any difference in these relationships throughout the duration of this pandemic. METHODS A six-wave repeated cross-sectional survey (N = 1942) was conducted in six major cities in China between February 7 and April 23, 2020. Participants’ reliance on expert versus inexpert sources for information about COVID-19, their perceived severity of and susceptibility to COVID-19, their response efficacy and self-efficacy, and their engagement in protective actions (staying at home, wearing a facemask, and washing hands) were measured. Demographic variables (sex, age, income, education, and city of residence), knowledge of COVID-19, and self-rated health condition were controlled. RESULTS Reliance on expert sources did not become the major factor that motivated these actions until wave 3, and the negative effect of inexpert sources on these actions was limited to wave 2. Perceived severity encouraged some protective behaviors but its effect varied depending on the specific behavior. In addition, perceived severity exhibited a stronger effect on these behaviors compared to perceived susceptibility. The positive effect of response efficacy was only significant at waves 1 and 2 and limited to certain behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Chinese individuals’ engagement in protective behaviors might not entirely be their autonomous decision but a result of compliance with executive orders. After the early outbreak, expert sources started to facilitate protective behaviors, suggesting that it might take time to develop trust in these sources. The facilitating effect of perceived severity lasted throughout the duration of the pandemic, but that of response efficacy was limited to the early stage. CLINICALTRIAL

Download Full-text

Awareness Regarding Oral Aphthous Ulcers and its Risk Factors Among BDS and MBBS Students-A Cross-Sectional Survey

Journal of The Pakistan Dental Association ◽

10.25301/jpda.303.215 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (03) ◽

pp. 215-218

Author(s):

Marium Azfar ◽

◽

Saima Qureshi ◽

Syeda Noureen Iqbal ◽

Sadia Rizwan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Medical Students ◽

Dental Students ◽

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis ◽

Aphthous Stomatitis ◽

Oral Ulceration ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Aphthous Ulcers

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to assess the awareness regarding oral aphthous ulcers and its risk factors among BDS and MBBS students in private institute of Karachi, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a private institute of Karachi Pakistan for the duration of six months. Medical and dental students of age more than 18 years of either gender were enrolled in the study using non-probability convenience sampling technique. Pre-designed proforma was used to collect data regarding demographics, history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and knowledge of oral aphthous ulcers and its risk factors. The knowledge score of 4 out of 6 was considered as adequate knowledge. SPSS version 25 was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Of 150 participants, the mean age was reported as 22.94±1.65 years (range: 21-25 years). In those 150 participants 46 were males (30.7%) and 104 were females (69.3%). Overall mean score of knowledge was 4.35±1.29. Wherein 73% had adequate knowledge regarding oral ulceration and its risk factors. The dental students had significantly higher proportion of adequate knowledge regarding oral ulceration than medical students [p=0.024]. CONCLUSION: Overall students had good knowledge of oral ulceration and its risk factors, wherein knowledge of dental students was better than medical students. KEYWORDS: Oral ulcers; Recurrent Aphthous stomatitis; awareness, oral ulceration, risk factors, eating habits

Download Full-text

COVID-19 knowledge, attitude and awareness among preclinical and clinical dental students: An online-based cross-sectional survey

Journal Of Oral Research ◽

10.17126/joralres.2021.026 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Saqib Ali ◽

◽

Saman Tauqir ◽

Beenish Fatima Alam ◽

Faraz Farooqi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Face Mask ◽

Dental Students ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Route Of Transmission

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the understanding and perception of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the undergraduate preclinical and clinical dental students within Pakistan. Material and Methods: An online survey was developed by the researchers and conducted amongst the undergraduate students at various dental colleges of Pakistan. A pretested questionnaire was used and distributed using social media platforms. The questionnaire consisted of demographics, health status, perception related to general hygiene, understanding and learning attitudes of dental students. Knowledge scores and the attitude responses were compared with the demographics using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and chi-square, as appropriate. Results: A total of 800 undergraduate dental students responded to the survey, out of which 304(38%) were males and 496(62%) were female students. Students in pre-clinical years were 600(75%), while 200(25%) students were in the clinical years. The knowledge of clinical students regarding COVID-19 was statistically higher (4.71/6), compared to the students in pre-clinical years (4.49/6) (p=0.004). Both groups showed adequate knowledge regarding the route of transmission, symptoms and origin of COVID-19, and COVID-19 being a threat to life. Clinical students did not want to re-use the face mask (75%), compared to the preclinical students (68%) (p-0.048). Students in clinical years reported more awareness regarding the recommended hand washing technique during COVID-19 (p-<0.001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that dental students in clinical years have adequate knowledge regarding the COVID-19 as compared to the preclinical students. The study identifies all areas where preclinical and clinical students lack basic knowledge. This should be compensated by arranging different webinars and online courses to increase the understanding of both clinical and preclinical students during the pandemic.

Download Full-text

Infection-control knowledge, attitude, practice, and risk perception of occupational exposure to Zika virus among nursing students in Korea: A cross-sectional survey

Journal of Infection and Public Health ◽

10.1016/j.jiph.2018.07.002 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 840-844 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jeong Sil Choi ◽

Kyung M. Kim

Keyword(s):

Risk Perception ◽

Nursing Students ◽

Occupational Exposure ◽

Infection Control ◽

Zika Virus ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Control Knowledge

Download Full-text

Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice towards COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Medical Sciences ◽

10.3390/medsci9010011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 11

Author(s):

Ali Hassan A. Alnasser ◽

Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq ◽

Mohammed Sheker H. Al-Kalif ◽

Rubayyi Faris B. Shahadah ◽

Khawlah Saad A. Almuqati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Knowledge Attitude And Practice

(1) Background: COVID-19 has become a worldwide public health problem. No previous study has investigated factors associated with COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) after completely lifting the curfew in all Saudi Arabia regions and cities. Therefore, adequate knowledge, a positive attitude, and correct control of COVID-19 are essential to eradicate the disease. Hence, this study aims to assess factors associated with KAP of COVID-19; (2) Methods: This cross-sectional web-based survey was performed with the participation of 4305 individuals aged over 15 years living in Saudi Arabia from 11 to 19 August 2020. They were included using the snowball sampling method; (3) Results: Of the 4305 participants, 94.9% were Saudis, 60% females, and 45.4% were in the age group of 20–34 years, 61.7% married, and 49.3% from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Most of the participants demonstrated good KAP levels (89.6%, 87.2%, and 87.2%) towards the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. In addition, most of the participants (85.8%) used the internet and social media as a source for COVID-19 information (4) Conclusions: The finding showed that most of the participants demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19, positive attitudes, and demonstrated good practices for preventing the spread of disease infection.

Download Full-text