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Introduction: The emotional well-being of health-care employees is critical to the quality of patient care and the efficient operation of health services. Not only has the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) virus caused significant rates of morbidity and mortality around the world but it has also caused sleep disruption, stress, and pandemic-related anxiety among health-care workers. The current study examines associations among COVID-related fear, stress, and sleep quality in health professionals. Methods: From January to June 2021, a cross-sectional survey was done in Kerala among doctors, nurses, paramedical workers, and housekeeping employees. About 822 health-care providers from various districts took part in the study by completing a Google forms-based semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire. The data were coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Descriptive statistical analysis, percentages, and ratios were employed to summarize the data. Results: The majority of participants were between the ages of 46 and 55 (35%). Forty-four percent and 46% of respondents, respectively, were concerned about contracting COVID-19 and spreading the virus to others. COVID-19 restrictions were the primary concern of psychological distress among respondents (90%). Approximately one-fourth of the subjects reported using sleep medication, 42% took 30 min or longer to fall asleep, and 39% slept for 6 h or less. Poor sleep quality was reported to be prevalent in 62% of the population. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to cause significant levels of fear, stress, and sleep disruption in health-care professionals. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic represented a significant threat to their psychological health, and public health strategies should focus on improving it.
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Background: Radiography plays an important role in detection of interproximal caries. The aim of study is to compare diagnostic ability of conventional film and photostimulable phosphor (PSP) with direct measurement using stereomicroscope in detecting proximal caries. Methodology: In this descriptive study - diagnostic test evaluation, 200 proximal surfaces of 100 extracted human posterior teeth were radiographed with dental X-ray unit. Evaluation of conventional and digital radiographs was performed twice by three observers. Carious lesions were classified based on a four-point scale (R0-R3) suggested by Abesi et al. Weighted kappa coefficients were calculated to assess intra- and interobserver agreement for each image set. Indices of diagnostic ability calculation were based on the first readings of the three observers. The scores were compared with the histological gold standard using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to evaluate diagnostic ability. Results: Intraobserver kappa coefficients calculated for each observer for each method of detecting caries ranged from 0.914 to 0.956. Interobserver kappa coefficients for each image set ranged from 0.8788 to 0.9583. The sensitivity and specificity of film for the first observer were 77.5% and 78.3% and for PSP were 77.5% and 80%, respectively. ROC analysis revealed that there were no statistically significant results (P > 0.05) between Az values for the two detection methods. Conclusion: PSP plate should be preferred over conventional films in detecting cavitated proximal caries. Further studies with more noncavitated proximal surfaces are required to conclusively establish the diagnostic ability of PSP over conventional film.