Dental Hygiene Treatment Fear, Anxiety and Related Factors in Dental Patients

치과위생처치와 관련된 두려움, 불안 및 관련요인 -일부 치위생처치 환자를 대상으로-

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore dental hygiene treatment fear and anxiety in dental patients. METHODS: The sample consisted of 466 dental patients who had received the dental hygiene treatment at 8 Dental Hospitals and Clinics in Daegu city between March and August 2006 studied. Dental hygienists recruited a questionnaire, which includes generalized anxiety sub-scale(4 items), specific fear sub-scale(5 items), distrust sub-scale(5 items), and catastrophic anxiety sub-scale(4 items). Minimum score is 1, and maximum score is 5. The research was designed to be a cross-sectional measured study. SAS statistical software was used for the analysis. The characteristics of the study sample were described by mean and standard deviation(SD) for continuous variables and by frequency and percentage for categorical variables. The Student's t-test and analysis of variance(ANOVA) were used to compare fear and anxiety score in demographic variables. A Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted for relationship among values of fear and anxiety for dental hygiene. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with fear and anxiety related with dental hygiene. RESULTS: A total of 466 dental patients were analyzed, their average age${\pm}$SD was $37.7{\pm}12.9$ years(range: 15-79 yr). The mean value for dental hygiene fear and anxiety was 2.70(generalized anxiety 2.65, specific fear 2.93, distrust anxiety 2.72, and catastrophic anxiety 2.42, respectively). There was a statistically significant difference in gender(p<0.05), 2.81 for women was higher than 2.55 for men(p=.0000). The older we are, the higher fear and anxiety for dental hygiene treatment were. that is, under age of 20 years 2.49, 20 years 2.59, 30 years 2.69, 40 years 2.77, 50 years 2.88, 60 years 2.69, and over age of 70 2.45, respectively(p=.0321). Factors related to dental hygiene treatment fear and anxiety by multiple regressions were gender(${\square}$=0.18, p=0.0001), age(${\square}$=.07, p=.0058), and the time when visits dentist recently(${\square}$=.07, p=.0058). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, gender, age and the time when visits dentist recently were significantly associated with dental hygiene treatment fear and anxiety. We recommend that further research should investigate a dental hygiene treatment fear and anxiety by using more follow-up study.