AUTHOR=Wen Yi Feng , Fang Peng , Peng Jia-xi , Wu Shengjun , Liu Xufeng , Dong Qian Qian 

TITLE=Differential Psychological Factors Associated With Unnecessary Dental Avoidance and Attendance Behavior During the Early COVID-19 Epidemic

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.555613

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.555613

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is challenging the dental community to an unprecedented degree. Knowledge of increased risk of infection in dental settings has been disseminated to the public and guidelines have been formulated to assist dental attendance decision making. However, dental attendance behaviors incompatible with treatment need is not uncommon in clinical settings. Important gaps remain in our knowledge about how psychological factors are affecting dental attendance behaviors during COVID-19 epidemic. In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was performed during February and March 2020. A total of 342 and 294 dental patients who attended and avoided dental visits, respectively, were included. Participants were classified into four groups based on dental attendance behavior and emergent/urgent dental treatment need. Bivariate analysis was performed to investigate factors associated with dental attendance. Multivariable logistic regression based on principal component scores was performed to identify major psychological constructs associated with unnecessary dental avoidance and attendance. Among all factors explored, inability to wear masks during dental treatment (P value: <0.001; effect size: 0.32) was most closely associated with overall pattern of dental attendance among participants. Multivariable regression suggested that unnecessary dental avoidance was associated with perceived risk of infection in general and in dental settings (Odds ratio [95% CI]: 0.62 [0.53, 0.72]; p value: <0.001), perceived impact of COVID-19 and dental problems on general health (0.79 [0.65, 0.97]; 0.021), and personal traits such as trust and anxiety (0.77 [0.61, 0.98]; 0.038). Unnecessary dental attendance was associated with optimism towards the epidemic (1.68 [1.42, 2.01]; <0.001) and trust (1.39 [1.13, 1.74]; 0.002). Multidisciplinary efforts involving dental and medical professionals as well as psychologists are warranted to promote a more widespread adoption, among general public, of dental attendance behaviors compatible with dental treatment need during COVID-19 epidemic.