scholarly journals Predictors of periodontal and caries related perinatal oral healthcare, investigation of dentists’ practices: a cross-sectional study

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12080
Author(s):  
Muhammad Qasim Javed ◽  
Usman Anwer Bhatti ◽  
Arham Riaz ◽  
Farooq Ahmad Chaudhary

Background The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentists towards providing oral health care to pregnant women and to identify barriers and predictors of periodontal and caries related perinatal oral healthcare practices. Methods A cross-sectional analytical survey was conducted on dentists by using a random sampling technique, and a pre-validated questionnaire was delivered to 350 dentists from May 2018 to October 2018. Data were analyzed by utilizing SPSS software. Frequencies and percentages were recorded for descriptive variables. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the probability of predicting group membership to the dependent variable using different independent variables determined from contingency tables. Results Overall response rate was 41%. The mean knowledge score of respondents was 15.86 ± 3.34. The lowest correct responses were noted in the questions related to periodontal health. It was found that the advice to delay dental visits until after pregnancy was eight times more likely to be observed among dentists who lacked the knowledge of importance of oral health during pregnancy (P = 0.04, OR = 8.75). Dentists were more likely to consult obstetricians regarding dental procedures when they fear a risk of labor in the dental practice (P < 0.05, OR = 3.72). Dentists who had the knowledge of periodontal disease association with preterm delivery were about four times more likely to treat periodontal disease during pregnancy (P = 0.01, OR = 3.95). Dentists knowing the association between maternal oral health and childhood decay were more likely to counsel pregnant patients regarding caries prevention (P > 0.05, OR = 3.75). Conclusions Collectively the results indicated few gaps in knowledge among some dentists and a need to improve existing attitudes towards perinatal oral health. Dentists failing to recognize the importance of perinatal oral health are more likely to be hesitant in treating pregnant patients. Failing to recognize the link between periodontal disease and obstetric complications increases the possibility of hesitance to counsel pregnant patients regarding the same. The appreciation of the evidence for poor perinatal oral health and risk of early childhood caries increases the likelihood of counseling by dentists on caries prevention.

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 190-206
Author(s):  
Chin Mun Wong ◽  

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Zika infection as Public Health Emergency of International Concern in 2016. In this study, we aimed to assess the knowledge and risk perception towards Zika infection among the forest fringe population in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study of with 433 adult respondents in Malaysia completed the assisted-administered validated questionnaire on knowledge and perception to Zika infection. Bidirectional analysis on the person and item abilities were tested using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Rasch. The knowledge and perception levels were tested against significant sociodemographic or socioeconomic variables using Pearson’s Chi Square; covariates were then adjusted at multivariate level using binary logistic regression. Both knowledge and perception domains were well-targeted. Complementing results from SPSS and Rasch showed poor knowledge and poor risk perception levels in slightly more than half of the respondents [knowledge score: 50.8% (SPSS), 55.4% (Rasch); perception score: (58.0% (SPSS), 58.2% (Rasch)]. With covariates adjusted, non-bumiputra (non-natives) of higher education level, higher household income and recent jungle visits showed good knowledge level. Adult, menopaused women from Perak state showed better risk perception level towards Zika. Majority of the forest fringe population in Malaysia have poor knowledge and risk perception towards the Zika infection. This questionnaire is a suitable tool to assess knowledge and perception towards Zika infection among the forest fringe populations in Southeast Asia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-267
Author(s):  
AE Ladele ◽  
JO Ogunkoya ◽  
CJ Elikwu ◽  
TA Oyedele ◽  
KE Tuta ◽  
...  

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of contracting and spreading the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease putting themselves, the patients and the community at large at risk. Therefore, there is a need for adequate preparedness in the face of this pandemic. Objectives: To assess the knowledge of HCW (clinical and non-clinical) on COVID-19, determine the level of HCWs preparedness against COVID-19 and evaluate the level of preparedness of the hospital facility against COVID-19. Methods: Purposive sampling technique was used in this cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire adapted from a validated questionnaire was used to collect appropriate data on socio-demographics, knowledge about COVID 19 and preparedness. Results: A total of 170 HCWs with a mean age of 34.7±6.9 years participated in this study. More than half (56.5%; 96/170) were females. The average knowledge score among clinical staff was 9.04±13.77, with 80 clinical staff having good knowledge of COVID-19. The majority of non-clinical staff had a fair knowledge of COVID-19 with an average knowledge score of 5.11±47.07. About 63.4% were not confident enough in caring for a suspected coronavirus case even though more than half (57.6%) have had formal training in Infection Prevention and Control and above 77% (131/170) confirmed the availability of PPE in their facility. However, about three-quarters (74.7%; 127/170) believed the hospital is well prepared to manage COVID-19 cases. Conclusion: This study revealed that this cohort of HCWs have good knowledge of COVID-19 and are convinced that they and their facility are well prepared for outbreaks of COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212110343
Author(s):  
Ayele Mamo ◽  
Mesud M Hassen ◽  
Ahmednur Adem ◽  
Zinash Teferu ◽  
Musa Kumbi ◽  
...  

Background: Coronavirus disease is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which poses therapeutic dilemmas. Some suggestions for drug treatment seem problematic. Beliefs about the causes of health problems are determinants of treatment seeking decisions. Hence, one of the alternatives for the solution of health problems is employing traditional medicine to prevent coronavirus disease 19. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and utilization of drugs toward the coronavirus disease 19 pandemic among Bale zone residents. Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the Bale Zone population from May 30 to June 30, 2020. Eight hundred fifty-four participants were selected using a single population formula, and a multistage sampling technique was employed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive and binary logistic regression was used to analyze the outcomes. A p value ⩽ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the total 854 respondents, about 534 (62.5%) got information about coronavirus disease 19 from TV/radio. More than two-thirds (71.9%) of the respondents have known that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has no curative drugs, and 65.4% had a more appropriate attitude toward overall drug use in coronavirus disease 19. Level of education and, attitude towards drug use were singnificantly associated with knowledge of drugs, source of information about coronavirus disease 19 and having good practice were significantly associated with atittude toward drug utilization. Conclusion: One out of two study participants have good knowledge regarding drugs to the coronavirus disease 19 pandemic. Illiterate people in the community were identified to have poor knowledge about drugs, hence community educuation program is important to improve the knowledge about drugs towards the coronavirus disease 19 pandemic.


Author(s):  
Umer Maqsood ◽  
Roop Zahra ◽  
Muhammad Zahid Latif ◽  
Hena Athar ◽  
Gul Muhammad Shaikh ◽  
...  

Introduction: A variety of research studies have shown that caffeine usage is highly prevalent among university students and many of them have different perception of its effect on their mental and physical health. These perceptions can influence the intake of caffeine which may lead to its addiction, resulting in serious public health consequences. Aims & Objectives: The objective of the study is to determine the frequency of caffeine consumption and the perception of its effects among university students. Place and duration of study: This study was conducted within 6 months duration, from May 2018 to October 2019 among students of three private universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Material & Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A sample size of 670 university students was taken and the data were collected from three private universities of Lahore through convenience sampling technique. The perception of effects of caffeine was determined through a pre-validated questionnaire, Caffeine Expectancy Questionnaire (CaffEQ) from consumers and nonconsumers of caffeine. Results: A total of 670 university students participated in the study, out of which, 278 (41.5%) were males and 392 (58.5%) were females. 506 (75.5%) participants were consumer of caffeine, while 164 (24.5%) were non consumer. The occurrence of caffeine consumption was more in males (79.9%) than in females (72.4%). Participants reported that they consume caffeine because it makes them feel more alert (83.4%), they experience caffeine withdrawal without caffeine (83%) and caffeine makes them feel more energetic (80.6%). The perceptions due to which participants don't consume caffeine were that they expect caffeine makes their heartbeat irregular (81.7%), they don't like the way caffeine makes them feel (80.5%) and caffeine makes them irritable (76.8%). Conclusion: The study concludes that male students had more tendencies towards caffeine consumption than females. Perceptions for consuming caffeine were feeling of alertness, experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms, feeling of energy and ability to work over long periods of time after having caffeine. The perceptions for not consuming caffeine were irregular heartbeat, bad feelings, irritability, and sleep disturbances.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e051277
Author(s):  
Jinghan Qu ◽  
Wei Zuo ◽  
Shaohong Wang ◽  
Liping Du ◽  
Xin Liu ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo evaluate pharmacists’ knowledge, perceptions and practices towards generic substitution in the 11 pilot locations in China.DesignAn online cross-sectional survey using questionnaires was conducted. A convenience sampling technique was implemented to recruit pharmacists.Setting and participantsThe study took place in medical institutions of 11 pilot locations that participated in the pilot national centralised procurement programme in 2019. Two thousand two hundred and ninety-one pharmacists including hospital pharmacists or community pharmacists based on health-systems or clinics participated in the study.ResultsMost of the participants had the good knowledge of requirements for evaluating the quality and efficacy of generic drugs (n=2118; 92.4%), and the definition of generic drugs (n=2078; 90.7%). In terms of perceptions, 67.3% of respondents were of the opinion that generic drugs are equally as effective as the brand-name drugs, and 69.0% of respondents were of the opinion that generic drugs are as safe as brand equivalents. A high percentage of participants supported the policy of generic substitution (n=1634; 71.4%). A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between total knowledge score and total perception score (ρ=0.267; p<0.001). Efficacy, safety and the direction of national policies and hospital regulations were the main factors affecting pharmacists’ willingness to dispense generic drugs.ConclusionsThe study identified gaps in respondents’ knowledge and perceptions of generic substitution. Pharmacists who are more knowledgeable in generic drugs tend to hold a more supportive attitude towards generic substitution. Although it appeared that pharmacists in China have largely accepted generic substitution, they still have concerns regarding the reliability and quality of generic drugs. The current issues need to be addressed for the realisation of the true value of generic drugs as part of the country’s healthcare cost-containment strategy as well as the implementation of generic substitution policy in China.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 35-41
Author(s):  
Kopila Shrestha ◽  
Shanti Awale

Background: Adolescent reproductive health is one of the component of the reproductive health. It is most important issue in the world. Reproductive capability is taking place at an earlier age and adolescents are indulging in risk taking behaviors day by day. The objective of this study is to assess knowledge regarding sexual and reproductive health among adolescents. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Kathmandu valley to assess the knowledge regarding sexual and reproductive health among adolescents. Total of 200 respondents were selected through non-probability purposive sampling technique. Self-administered written questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics such as Chi-square test. Results: The findings revealed that most of the respondents had knowledge regarding transmission and protection of HIV/AIDS and STIs but still some respondents had misconception regarding it. The statistical analysis revealed that the total mean knowledge score with standard deviation was 45.02±8.674. Nearly half of the respondents (49.5%) had moderate level of knowledge, followed by inadequate level of knowledge 29.5% and adequate level of knowledge 21.0% regarding sexual and reproductive health. There was statistically significant association of level of knowledge with area of residence (p-value 0.002). Conclusion: Nearly half of the respondents possess some knowledge about sexual and reproductive health but still effective educational intervention is required to increase their knowledge.


Author(s):  
Abdul Nazer Ali ◽  
Pushpaa Asokan ◽  
Chew Jia Hui ◽  
Chuah Hui Ying ◽  
Nazer Zulfikar Ahmed

Aim: The aim and objectives of the study were: 1) To assess the knowledge regarding dengue viral infection among undergraduate healthcare professional (HCP) students. 2) To investigate the association of socio-demographic factors towards dengue knowledge among the study participants. 3) To compare the dengue knowledge among the three HCP (Dental, Medical and Pharmacy) students. Study Design: A cross sectional study design was used in the study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in AIMST University campus, Kedah state, Malaysia between January, 2017 and June, 2017. Methods: The study was conducted among HCP students using pre-validated questionnaire with knowledge as a single dependent variable. The questionnaire was distributed in class room setting after obtaining informed consent forms signed by participants. The summary statistics for categorical variables was used with chi-square test to see if there was any association between the variables. Inferential statistics was done using Spearmans correlation. Results: Among the 636 participants, an overall good knowledge (≈90%) was observed regarding the cause, breeding sites and common clinical symptoms of dengue fever. However, poor knowledge was observed regarding the time of dengue mosquitoes bite (51%, P = .58) and transmission through blood transfusion (59%, P <.001). Very poor knowledge was observed regarding transmission through person to person contact (25%, P <.001). The median knowledge score was 12(3) ranging from 0 to 15. There was a statistically significant differences (P < .001) in response to 14/15 knowledge based items. Further, a statistically significant association between dengue knowledge score was observed among field of study (P < .05) and year of study (P < .006) variables. The Spearman's correlation test showed a weak positive correlation [rs(2) = 8.6, P < .01] and [rs(10) = 108, P < .001] between year of study and age categories for dengue knowledge scores. Conclusion: Overall, the HCP students in AIMST University showed good knowledge score towards dengue however, educational intervention programmes can further enrich their knowledge in the prevention, treatment and management of this deadly disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Ambreen Khalid ◽  
Adeela Shahid ◽  
Khalid Rahim Khan

Background: Students suffering from imposter syndrome/phenomenon (IP) consider themselves less competent and less skill full as compared to the abilities they actually possess. Although previous research has identified different causes of stress and burnout less research has been conducted to determine the frequency of imposter syndrome among medical undergraduate students. Objectives: (1) To determine the frequency and the degree of severity of Imposter syndrome among medical students. (2) To find out the association of Gender with imposter syndrome. (3) To evaluate the difference in the severity of imposter syndrome between 1st and 2nd-year MBBS students. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 1st and 2nd-year MBBS students of Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore. A convenient sampling technique was used. The study instrument used was a validated questionnaire (Clance IP Scale) containing 20 items with 5 points Likert scale. By adding up the score, the degree of severity is determined. Frequencies & percentages were determined, chi-square applied, p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: One hundred and 40 students filled the IP Scale questionnaire. The frequency of imposter syndrome was 53.3% among medical students. The majority (85%) of the medical students had frequent to intense imposter characteristics. A higher number of female students was affected by imposter phenomenon as compared to males. Greater number of 1st-year students were suffering from imposter syndrome as compared to 2nd-year students. Conclusions: Frequency of imposter syndrome was high among medical students. Its severity ranges from moderate to frequent IP categories in majority of students. Female students were affected more as compared to their male counterparts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aisha A. Almulla ◽  
Hadia Radwan ◽  
Nada Al Adeeb

OBJECTIVES: We aim to investigate the knowledge towards Energy Drinks (EDs) consumption and related factors among young male athletes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). SUBJECTS &amp; METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 688 young male athletes from Al Ain sports club aged between 7 to 18 years. Data were collected using a modified version of a validated questionnaire from the European Food Safety Authority. RESULTS: Overall EDs consumption was 24%. About 44% of the athletes consumed EDs one to two times per month. Athletes who were training between 5-7 days per week consumed significantly more EDs compared to those who were training 3-4 days per week (81% vs. 15 %, P&lt;0.001). Athletes aged 7-12 years were 2.4 times more likely to consume EDs than athletes aged 13-18 years (P&lt;0.001). Moreover, athletes living with both parents were significantly less likely to consume EDs compared to those living with a single parent (P=0.01). Knowledge score about EDs consumption was significantly higher for non EDs consumers compared to EDs consumers (P&lt;0.001). CONCLUSIONS: EDs consumption among young male athletes was moderate. Educational programs are needed to increase the awareness regarding EDs consumption and its potential adverse effects among the young athletes. A regulation policy for EDs consumption should be addressed and consideration of labels with EDs contents and age identification is highly recommended.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saadullah Khattak ◽  
Maqbool Khan ◽  
Tahir Usman ◽  
Johar Ali ◽  
Dong-Xing Wu ◽  
...  

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health threat and caused a universal psychosocial impact on the general population. Therefore, the knowledge, attitude, and perceptions (KAPs) of the general population are critical for the development and effective implementation of standard operating procedures (SOP) to contain the contagion and minimize the losses. Therefore, the current study was conducted to understand and evaluate the KAPs of Pakistani populations toward the COVID-19.Methods: An online cross-sectional study was carried out among participants from 1 May to 30 July 2020 in different areas of Pakistan. The respondents of the study were the general population with age ≥ 18 years. The poll URL was posted on several channels after a call for participation. Other social media platforms such as WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Messenger, and LinkedIn were engaged to maximize general population engagement. The questionnaire included details about sociodemographic, knowledge about COVID-19, perceptions toward universal safety precautions of COVID-19, and beliefs attitude toward the COVID-19. The obtained data were exported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and SPSS software version 21 for windows. The descriptive statistics values were presented in frequencies and percentages. Binary logistic regression, Chi-square test, and one-way ANOVA were applied to analyze the participants' socio-demographic characteristics and variables related to KAPs. P-value &lt; 0.05 was recorded as significant.Results: A total of 1,000 participants were invited of which 734 participated in this study. The response rate was 73.4% (734/1,000). The gender, marital status, education, and residence showed a significant association with the knowledge score. The majority of the study participants were thinking that COVID-19 may be more dangerous in elderly individuals 94.5% (n = 700), and individuals with chronic diseases or severe complications 96.7% (n = 710) (p = 0.00). More than half of the participants 52.5% (n = 385) showed their concern that either they or their family members might get the infection. More than 98% (n = 703), (P-value = 0.00) of the participants held that COVID-19 would be successfully controlled in Pakistan by following the standard SOPs and government guidelines.Conclusion: This study showed that the general population of Pakistan has good awareness and reasonable attitudes and perceptions toward the full features of the COVID-19. The current study suggests that mass-level effective health education programs are necessary for developing countries to improve and limit the gap between KAP toward COVID-19.


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