Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract Background Dental anxiety has become a major concern for both dental practitioners and patients and prevents a significant proportion of people from attending dental clinics. The present study aimed to determine dental anxiety and associated factors among adult patients attending a public o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Manori Dhanapriyanka, Prasanna Jayasekara, Abdul Sattar Mohamed Falsy Rumy, Nowzath Athambawa, Ahamed Lebbe Asmath Haseena, Kaleelur Rahuman Mohammadu Salman, Mohamed Buhari Mohamed Mufees
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Oral Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-05288-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846100846641676288
author Manori Dhanapriyanka
Prasanna Jayasekara
Abdul Sattar Mohamed Falsy Rumy
Nowzath Athambawa
Ahamed Lebbe Asmath Haseena
Kaleelur Rahuman Mohammadu Salman
Mohamed Buhari Mohamed Mufees
author_facet Manori Dhanapriyanka
Prasanna Jayasekara
Abdul Sattar Mohamed Falsy Rumy
Nowzath Athambawa
Ahamed Lebbe Asmath Haseena
Kaleelur Rahuman Mohammadu Salman
Mohamed Buhari Mohamed Mufees
author_sort Manori Dhanapriyanka
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Dental anxiety has become a major concern for both dental practitioners and patients and prevents a significant proportion of people from attending dental clinics. The present study aimed to determine dental anxiety and associated factors among adult patients attending a public outpatient dental clinic in a base hospital, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adults aged 18 to 75 years awaiting dental treatment. A validated and pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilised, and it included demographic information, past dental treatment, and the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) which was used to assess dental anxiety. Anxiety scores ranged from 5 to 25, with scores of 5–9 classified as less anxious, 10–18 as moderately anxious, and scores above 18 as extremely anxious. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 28. Descriptive analysis, correlation test, chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were applied for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results The majority of participants in this sample experienced dental anxiety, with 19% classified as extremely anxious, 70% as moderately anxious, and 11% as less anxious. The mean MDAS score was 14.5 (SD = 4.4). Bivariate analysis revealed that dental anxiety is significantly associated with age group, sex, marital status, employment status, monthly family income, past dental visits, sex of treatment provider and previous dental experiences. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that age, sex and postponing dental treatment appointments were significant predictor variables of dental anxiety. Conclusion The findings reveal that the majority of participants in this study experience moderate to high levels of dental anxiety. Notably, younger individuals (under 35 years), females, and those who tend to postpone dental appointments were identified as significant predictors of heightened dental anxiety.
format Article
id doaj-art-9bd9ce1a6a6942529ed083cee8ffc73f
institution Kabale University
issn 1472-6831
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Oral Health
spelling doaj-art-9bd9ce1a6a6942529ed083cee8ffc73f2024-12-29T12:50:04ZengBMCBMC Oral Health1472-68312024-12-012411810.1186/s12903-024-05288-1Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri LankaManori Dhanapriyanka0Prasanna Jayasekara1Abdul Sattar Mohamed Falsy Rumy2Nowzath Athambawa3Ahamed Lebbe Asmath Haseena4Kaleelur Rahuman Mohammadu Salman5Mohamed Buhari Mohamed Mufees6Ministry of HealthMinistry of HealthBase HospitalBase HospitalDivisional Hospital ChenkaladyBase HospitalDivisional HospitalAbstract Background Dental anxiety has become a major concern for both dental practitioners and patients and prevents a significant proportion of people from attending dental clinics. The present study aimed to determine dental anxiety and associated factors among adult patients attending a public outpatient dental clinic in a base hospital, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adults aged 18 to 75 years awaiting dental treatment. A validated and pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilised, and it included demographic information, past dental treatment, and the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) which was used to assess dental anxiety. Anxiety scores ranged from 5 to 25, with scores of 5–9 classified as less anxious, 10–18 as moderately anxious, and scores above 18 as extremely anxious. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 28. Descriptive analysis, correlation test, chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were applied for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results The majority of participants in this sample experienced dental anxiety, with 19% classified as extremely anxious, 70% as moderately anxious, and 11% as less anxious. The mean MDAS score was 14.5 (SD = 4.4). Bivariate analysis revealed that dental anxiety is significantly associated with age group, sex, marital status, employment status, monthly family income, past dental visits, sex of treatment provider and previous dental experiences. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that age, sex and postponing dental treatment appointments were significant predictor variables of dental anxiety. Conclusion The findings reveal that the majority of participants in this study experience moderate to high levels of dental anxiety. Notably, younger individuals (under 35 years), females, and those who tend to postpone dental appointments were identified as significant predictors of heightened dental anxiety.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-05288-1Dental anxietyOral healthModified Dental Anxiety Scale
spellingShingle Manori Dhanapriyanka
Prasanna Jayasekara
Abdul Sattar Mohamed Falsy Rumy
Nowzath Athambawa
Ahamed Lebbe Asmath Haseena
Kaleelur Rahuman Mohammadu Salman
Mohamed Buhari Mohamed Mufees
Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
BMC Oral Health
Dental anxiety
Oral health
Modified Dental Anxiety Scale
title Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
title_full Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
title_fullStr Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
title_short Prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
title_sort prevalence and associated factors of dental anxiety among adults attending public outpatient dental clinic in the eastern province sri lanka
topic Dental anxiety
Oral health
Modified Dental Anxiety Scale
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-05288-1
work_keys_str_mv AT manoridhanapriyanka prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka
AT prasannajayasekara prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka
AT abdulsattarmohamedfalsyrumy prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka
AT nowzathathambawa prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka
AT ahamedlebbeasmathhaseena prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka
AT kaleelurrahumanmohammadusalman prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka
AT mohamedbuharimohamedmufees prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofdentalanxietyamongadultsattendingpublicoutpatientdentalclinicintheeasternprovincesrilanka