Novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) awareness among the dental interns, dental auxiliaries and dental specialists in Saudi Arabia: A nationwide study

Mir F A Quadri; Mohammed A Jafer; Ahmed Shaher Alqahtani; Somayah A B Al Mutahar; Nouf I Odabi; Amal A Daghriri; Santosh K Tadakamadla

doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2020.05.010

Novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) awareness among the dental interns, dental auxiliaries and dental specialists in Saudi Arabia: A nationwide study

J Infect Public Health. 2020 Jun;13(6):856-864. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.05.010. Epub 2020 May 29.

Authors

Mir F A Quadri¹, Mohammed A Jafer², Ahmed Shaher Alqahtani³, Somayah A B Al Mutahar⁴, Nouf I Odabi⁴, Amal A Daghriri⁴, Santosh K Tadakamadla⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: dr.faeq.quadri@gmail.com.
² Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diagnostics, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Dental health care workers (DHCW's) are invariably at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. The objectives were; to investigate the current knowledge on COVID-19 among the DHCW's; and to conduct quasi-experiment among the DHCW's who were unaware of the disseminated COVID-19 information.

Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study targeting dental interns, auxiliaries, and specialists with a two-staged cluster sampling technique was performed. A 17-item questionnaire was subjected to reliability and validity tests before being administered. The participants for quasi-experiment were separated from the original sample after their initial response. Chi-square test assessed responses to knowledge statements between the participants. Difference in mean knowledge scores between the categories of DHCW's and sources of COVID-19 information was assessed using ANOVA. Data from the quasi experiment (pre vs post knowledge intervention) was subjected to paired t-test. Percentage of DHCWs providing correct or wrong responses to each knowledge statement at baseline and after 7 days were compared using McNemar test.

Results: The overall sample consisted of 706 (N) participants, and the DHCW's with no prior knowledge on COVID-19 (N=206) were part of the quasi experiment. Findings from cross-sectional study revealed that knowledge was significantly (p<0.05) related to the qualification level (interns vs auxiliaries vs specialists). However, the difference in the source of information (WHO/CDC vs Journal articles vs MoH) did not demonstrate any effect. Number of participants with correct responses to knowledge questions had significantly (p<0.05) increased after intervention. Also, the overall mean knowledge score (10.74±2.32 vs 12.47±1.68; p<0.001) had increased significantly after the intervention.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the basic knowledge on COVID-19 among the DHCW's in Saudi Arabia is acceptable. Timely dissemination of information by the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia had a positive impact on the COVID-19 knowledge score of the DHCW's.

Keywords: 2019-nCoV; Awareness; COVID-19; Corona virus; Dental Auxiliaries; Dentists; Knowledge; Oral health care workers.

MeSH terms

Betacoronavirus
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections* / prevention & control
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dental Auxiliaries*
Dentists*
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
Humans
Internship and Residency*
Pandemics* / prevention & control
Pneumonia, Viral* / prevention & control
Reproducibility of Results
SARS-CoV-2
Saudi Arabia
Surveys and Questionnaires