Epidemiological Aspects and Psychological Reactions to COVID-19 of Dental Practitioners in the Northern Italy Districts of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
Statistical Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Questions | Answer(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1. Do you want to participate in this survey? | Yes | |||
No | ||||
2. Age | <35 year | |||
35–55 year | ||||
>55 year | ||||
3. Sex | Male | |||
Female | ||||
4. Dental practice in: [One answer allowed] | Modena | |||
Reggio Emilia | ||||
Other (specify) | ||||
5. Professional experience [One answer allowed] | 0–5 years | |||
6–10 years | ||||
11–15 years | ||||
>15 years | ||||
6. Professional setting [One answer allowed] | Owner of private practice | |||
Partner or employed in private practice | ||||
Employed in public structure | ||||
7. Number of dental chairs [One answer allowed] | One | |||
Two/Three | ||||
>Three | ||||
8. Number of dental assistants and/or secretaries [One answer allowed] | One | |||
Two/Three | ||||
>Three | ||||
9. Number of partners or employees [One answer allowed] | None One >One | |||
10. Weekly average working time [One answer allowed] | <20 h | |||
20–30 h | ||||
30–40 h | ||||
>40 h | ||||
11. Average number of patients treated daily before Italian national administrative order of 10 March 2020 (DM-10M20) | ||||
12. Due to COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19), was the practice closed/reduced to urgent procedures only? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
13. When was the practice close or clinical activity reduced to urgent procedures only? [One answer allowed] | Before DM-10M20 | |||
After DM-10M20 | ||||
14. A telephonic availability was guaranteed for dental emergencies? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
15. In case of dental emergencies, did you personally take care of them? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
16. In case of dental emergencies, were the dental assistant(s) present? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
17. Did patients understand motivations for practice closure/clinical activity reduction? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
18. How were patients notified of practice closure/clinical activity reduction? [Multiple answers allowed] | By telephone | |||
By email | ||||
By web site | ||||
By social networks (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) | ||||
19. Average number of patients treated daily after DM-10M20 | ||||
20. Did patients cancel their previously-taken appointments after DM-10M20? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
21. Did COVID-19 pandemic condition negatively your professional activity? [One answer allowed] | Not at all | |||
Little | ||||
Quite | ||||
A lot | ||||
Extremely | ||||
22. Which Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were used usually before COVID-19? [One answer allowed] | Gloves and surgical masks | |||
Gloves, surgical masks and disposable isolation gowns | ||||
Gloves, surgical masks, disposable isolation gowns, disposable protective cap and glasses/face shield | ||||
Others (Specify) | ||||
23. Since DM-10M20, did you modify the choice of PPE? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
No, I’m waiting government guidelines | ||||
24. Since DM-10M20, did you hold informative sessions dedicated to coworkers and employees on the correct use of PPE? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
No, but I will do it | ||||
25. Dental associations had been useful in giving instructions about PPE? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
I don’t know | ||||
26. During clinical activity, which measures do you use to prevent COVID-19 infection? [Multiple answers allowed] | Telephone screening/anamnesis to exclude COVID-19 related symptoms | |||
Telephone screening/anamnesis to identify possible critical cases | ||||
Reduction of number of patients in the waiting room | ||||
Body temperature measurement | ||||
Environment aeration | ||||
Environment sanitation | ||||
Disinfectant agents and surgical mask supply to all patients while waiting in waiting room | ||||
Use of PPE (Respirator masks, disposable gowns, double layered gloves, etc.) | ||||
Other (specify) | ||||
27. Since the beginning of the pandemic, did you have difficulties in finding PPE? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
I don’t know | ||||
28. Since the beginning of the pandemic, have you noticed delays in the delivery timing of dental materials? [One answer allowed] | Yes | |||
No | ||||
I don’t know | ||||
29. Do you know someone who contracted COVID-19? [Multiple answers allowed] | Me | |||
One or more relatives | ||||
On or more employees | ||||
One or more patients | ||||
One or more acquaintances | ||||
No | ||||
30. How worried are you of contracting COVID-19 during your clinical activity? [One answer allowed] | Not at all | |||
Little | ||||
Quite | ||||
A lot | ||||
Extremely | ||||
31. In your opinion, how likely is it that a patient can contract COVID-19 during a dental service? [One answer allowed] | Not at all | |||
Little | ||||
Quite | ||||
A lot | ||||
Extremely | ||||
32. How much do you think your patients are worried of contracting COVID-19 during a dental service? [One answer allowed] | Not at all | |||
Little | ||||
Quite | ||||
A lot | ||||
Extremely | ||||
33. Which of the following emotions do you feel when thinking about COVID-19? | Fear | |||
Anxiety | ||||
Concern | ||||
Sadness | ||||
Anger | ||||
34. How frequently one of these issues bothered you in the past two weeks? | ||||
Not at all | Several days | More than half the days | Nearly every day | |
Being more nervous and/or anxious | ||||
Being unable to stop to worrying | ||||
Being too much worried for various things | ||||
Having difficulties in relaxing | ||||
Being agitated and unable to stay still | ||||
Getting easily irritated | ||||
Having fear that something terrible could happen | ||||
35. How worried are you for your professional future? [One answer allowed] | Not at all | |||
Little | ||||
Quite | ||||
A lot | ||||
Extremely | ||||
36. What worries you the most? [Multiple answers allowed] | I don’t know when this emergency situation will end | |||
Patients will have less money to spend | ||||
The crisis of dental environments will get worse | ||||
The need of new procedures and new devices for safety and infection prevention | ||||
The chance of losing my job or having to fire my employees | ||||
37. Which aids do you think could help dental professionals during COVID-19 pandemic? [Multiple answers allowed] | Economic relieves from Italian government | |||
Improvement of communication with patients | ||||
Economic relieves from dental associations | ||||
Bank account support | ||||
Social security institutions support and subsidy | ||||
38. Which aids do you think could help dental professionals after COVID-19 pandemic? [Multiple answers allowed] | Economic relieves from Italian government | |||
Improvement of communication with patients | ||||
Economic relieves from dental associations | ||||
Bank account support | ||||
Social security institutions support and subsidy | ||||
39. During clinical activity, which measures will you use to prevent COVID-19 infection? [Multiple answers allowed] | Telephone screening/anamnesis to identify possible critical cases | |||
Reduction of number of patients in the waiting room | ||||
Body temperature measurement | ||||
Environment aeration | ||||
Environment sanitation | ||||
Disinfectant agents and surgical mask supply to all patients while waiting in waiting room | ||||
Use of PPE (Respirator masks, disposable gowns, double layered gloves, etc.) | ||||
Other (specify) | ||||
Prevention procedures standardization | ||||
40. Which improvements do you think can result from the COVID-19 emergency? [Multiple answers allowed] | Reduction of dental practices competition | |||
Improvement of communication with patients | ||||
Professional rhythm slowdown | ||||
Stabilization of relationship with dental associations | ||||
No improvements |
Demographics | Number (%) | |
---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 215 (60.4) |
Female | 141 (39.6) | |
Age (years) | Less than 35 | 59 (16.6) |
35–55 | 173 (48.6) | |
Above 55 | 124 (34.8) | |
Type of activity | Practice owner | 229 (64.3) |
Private practice employee | 123 (34.6) | |
Public structure employee | 4 (1.1) | |
Work experience (years) | 0–5 | 37 (10.4) |
6–10 | 43 (12.1) | |
11–15 | 58 (16.3) | |
More than 15 | 218 (61.2) | |
Numbers of hours worked per week | Less than 20 | 37 (10.4) |
20–30 | 78 (21.9) | |
30–40 | 93 (26.1) | |
More than 40 | 148 (41.6) |
PPE | Number (%) |
---|---|
Only gloves and mask | 123 (34.6) |
Gloves, mask and disposable isolation gown | 44 (12.4) |
Gloves, mask, disposable isolation gown, disposable protective cap and protective glasses/face shields | 151 (42.4) |
Other | 38 (10.7) |
Question (Score 0–4) | Not at all 0 N (%) | Little 1 N (%) | Quite 2 N (%) | A lot 3 N (%) | Extremely 4 N (%) | Mean (SD) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
How worried are you of contracting COVID-19 during your clinical practice? | 8 (2.2) | 45 (12.6) | 127 (35.7) | 104 (29.2) | 72 (20.2) | 2.52 (1.02) |
In your opinion, how likely is it that a patient can contract COVID-19 during a dental service? | 98 (27.5) | 140 (39.3) | 69 (19.4) | 30 (8.4) | 19 (5.3) | 1.25 (1.11) |
How much do you think patients are worried of contracting COVID-19 during a dental procedure? | 57 (16.0) | 78 (21.9) | 136 (38.2) | 73 (20.5) | 12 (3.4) | 1.73 (1.06) |
Emotions (Score 0–4) | I Do Not Feel It 0 N (%) | Lightly 1 N (%) | Moderately 2 N (%) | Quite Intensely 3 N (%) | Intensely 4 N (%) | Mean (SD) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fear | 59 (16.6) | 146 (41.0) | 85 (23.9) | 51 (14.3) | 15 (4.2) | 1.49 (1.06) |
Anxiety | 58 (16.3) | 133 (37.4) | 84 (23.6) | 59 (16.6) | 22 (6.2) | 1.59 (1.13) |
Concern | 12 (3.4) | 94 (26.4) | 106 (29.8) | 87 (24.4) | 57 (16.0) | 2.23 (1.11) |
Sadness | 90 (25.3) | 70 (19.7) | 85 (23.9) | 66 (18.5) | 45 (12.6) | 1.74 (1.35) |
Anger | 157 (44.1) | 83 (23.3) | 43 (12.1) | 40 (11.2) | 33 (9.3) | 1.18 (1.35) |
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Consolo, U.; Bellini, P.; Bencivenni, D.; Iani, C.; Checchi, V. Epidemiological Aspects and Psychological Reactions to COVID-19 of Dental Practitioners in the Northern Italy Districts of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 3459. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103459
Consolo U, Bellini P, Bencivenni D, Iani C, Checchi V. Epidemiological Aspects and Psychological Reactions to COVID-19 of Dental Practitioners in the Northern Italy Districts of Modena and Reggio Emilia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(10):3459. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103459
Chicago/Turabian StyleConsolo, Ugo, Pierantonio Bellini, Davide Bencivenni, Cristina Iani, and Vittorio Checchi. 2020. "Epidemiological Aspects and Psychological Reactions to COVID-19 of Dental Practitioners in the Northern Italy Districts of Modena and Reggio Emilia" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 10: 3459. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103459