Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices toward respiratory tract infections among the Trinidadian population

Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs) are currently at the forefront of discussions as the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that more awareness is raised on RTIs, their causes, the different types, how they are contracted and spread and complications of and risk factors for RTIs. Prevention measures towards RTIs should also be assessed and encouraged, such as proper hand washing, mask wearing, sneezing and coughing etiquette as well as vaccination. Therefore, this investigation was undertaken to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs) among Trinidadian population.

Dental anxiety in a sample of West Indian adults / Ansiedad dental en una muestra de adultos de West Indies

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the level of dental anxiety and its possible causes among people in Trinidad and Tobago. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional survey of parents and guardians accompanying children who were attending a paediatric dental clinic. Participants completed a questionnaire while in the waiting room, which included the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), age, gender and occupation. An additional item was included which asked participants to rate the anxiety felt on having a tooth extracted. RESULTS: There were 100participants (81% female). Overall, 40% of participants reported moderate to severe anxiety. Twenty-three per cent of participants had moderate anxiety (MDAS 15-18) and 17% had severe anxiety/phobia (MDAS 19-20). Level of anxiety was related to gender (multiple linear regression, p < 0.05). Proportions of participants were very/extremely anxious of having a tooth drilled (48%), local anaesthetic injection (53%) and extraction (52%). Thirty-six per cent of participants had avoided dental treatment in the past because they were too anxious. CONCLUSION: High levels of dental anxiety were found in this sample of Trinidadian adults. The MDAS was able to detect significant elements of that anxiety. The addition of a question on extraction revealed that this procedure may contribute substantially in anxiety toward dental treatment in the Caribbean.

OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el nivel de ansiedad dental y sus posibles causas entre las personas en Trinidad y Tobago. MÉTODO: Éste es un estudio transversal de padres y guardianes que acompañan a los niños que asistían a una clínica dental pediátrica. Los participantes llenaron un cuestionario mientras se hallaban en la sala de espera. El cuestionario incluía la Escala de Ansiedad Dental Modificada (EADM), edad, género y ocupación. Se incluyó un punto adicional que pedía a los participantes que clasificaran la ansiedad que sentían por la extracción de un diente. RESULTADOS: Había 100 participantes (81% hembra). En general, el 40% de los participantes reportó sentir una ansiedad de moderada a severa. El veintitrés por ciento de los participantes tenía una ansiedad moderada (EADM 15-18) y el 17% tenían ansiedad severa/fobia (EADM 19-20). El nivel de ansiedad guardaba relación con el género (regresión logística múltiple p < 0.05). Muchos participantes estaban muy/extremadamente ansiosos por tener un diente bajo la fresa dental (48%), una inyección con anestésico local (53%) y una extracción (52%). Treinta y seis por ciento de los participantes habían evitado el tratamiento dental en el pasado porque se sentían demasiado ansiosos. CONCLUSIÓN: Se encontraron niveles altos de ansiedad dental en esta muestra de adultos trinitenses. La EADM pudo detectar elementos significativos de esa ansiedad. Al añadirse una pregunta sobre extracción, se puso de manifiesto que este procedimiento puede contribuir substancialmente al problema de la ansiedad hacia el tratamiento dental en el Caribe.

Dental anxiety in a sample of West Indian adults.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the level of dental anxiety and its possible causes among people in Trinidad and Tobago. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional survey of parents and guardians accompanying children who were attending a paediatric dental clinic. Participants completed a questionnaire while in the waiting room, which included the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), age, gender and occupation. An additional item was included which asked participants to rate the anxiety felt on having a tooth extracted. RESULTS: There were 100 participants (81% female). Overall, 40% of participants reported moderate to severe anxiety. Twenty-three per cent of participants had moderate anxiety (MDAS 15-18) and 17% had severe anxiety/phobia (MDAS 19-20). Level of anxiety was related to gender (multiple linear regression, p < 0.05). Proportions of participants were very/extremely anxious of having a tooth drilled (48%), local anaesthetic injection (53%) and extraction (52%). Thirty-six per cent of participants had avoided dental treatment in the past because they were too anxious. CONCLUSION: High levels of dental anxiety were found in this sample of Trinidadian adults. The MDAS was able to detect significant elements of that anxiety. The addition of a question on extraction revealed that this procedure may contribute substantially in anxiety toward dental treatment in the Caribbean.

Computer literacy and attitudes of dental students and staff at the University of the West Indies Dental School.

INTRODUCTION: The University of the West Indies (UWI) Dental School is planning to implement computer-based information systems to manage student and patient data. In order to measure the acceptance of the proposed implementation and to determine the degree of training that would be required, a survey was undertaken of the computer literacy and attitude of all staff and students. METHODOLOGY: Data were collected via 230 questionnaires from all staff and students. RESULTS: A 78% response rate was obtained. The computer literacy of the majority of respondents was ranked as 'more than adequate' compared to other European Dental Schools. Respondents < 50 years had significantly higher computer literacy scores than older age groups (P < 0.05). Similarly, respondents who owned an email address, a computer, or were members of online social networking sites had significantly higher computer literacy scores than those who did not (P < 0.05). Sex, nationality and whether the respondent was student/staff were not significant factors. Most respondents felt that computer literacy should be a part of every modern undergraduate curriculum; that computer assisted learning applications and web-based learning activity could effectively supplement the traditional undergraduate curriculum and that a suitable information system would improve the efficiency in the school's management of students, teaching and clinics. CONCLUSION: The implementation of a computer-based information system is likely to have widespread acceptance among students and staff at the UWI Dental School. The computer literacy of the students and staff are on par with those of schools in the US and Europe.