Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic On Anxiety and Treatment Adherence In Orthodontic and Dental Patients

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 4 Sayı: 3, 117 - 125, 08.08.2023

Sawsan Abed Elkhalik , Goksu Trakyalı

Öz

Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic affected not only the working dental staff but also dental and orthodontic patients in many ways like psychological distress and not attending scheduled appointments due to anxiety. Reduced adherence to orthodontic appointments is known to be one of the main causes of failed treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the psychological wellbeing of general dental patients and orthodontic-patients during the COVID-19-pandemic regarding their treatment progress.
Material and methods: This cross-sectional study involved 200 patients. The sample was divided into two groups of 100 as general dental and orthodontic patients respectively. Two forms of a previously prepared questionnaire containing the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) were given to the patients.
Results: Seventy-six percent of the total sample felt anxious about isolation during COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety and depression levels in general dental patients were statistically significantly higher than orthodontic patients. Besides, 40% of orthodontic patients feared that their treatment duration will elongate and 35% were agreed that teeth movement is affected negatively during the quarantine.
Conclusion: The quarantine showed to have an impact on the appointment adherence and patients’ anxiety regarding their treatment. Patients fear getting infected or infecting their relatives by their routine dental appointments. Orthodontic patients were more concerned than general dental patients about the possible negative effect of the pandemic on their treatment. As orthodontic treatment is a long-term treatment with routine appointments, to reduce anxiety levels of these patients’, routine tele-orthodontic appointments could be a solution for non-emergent cases.

Anahtar Kelimeler

COVID-19, Orthodontics, Surveys, Psychological distress

Destekleyen Kurum

The authors declare that this study received no funds or financial support from any profit or not-for-profit organizations.

Teşekkür

None are declared

COVID-19 Pandemisinin Ortodonti ve Genel Diş Hekimliği Hastalarındaki Kaygı ve Tedavi Devamlılığına Etkisi

Öz

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisi sadece çalışan diş hekimlerini değil, hastaları da psikolojik kaygı nedeniyle randevularına gidememe yönünde etkilemiştir. Ortodontik randevulara devamlılığın aksaması, başarısız tedavilerin ana nedenlerinden biri olarak bilinmektedir. Bu çalışma, genel diş hekimliği hastalarının ve ortodonti hastalarının COVID-19 salgını sırasında tedavi ilerlemelerine ilişkin psikolojik iyi oluşlarındaki farklılıkları değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu kesitsel çalışma 200 hastayı içermektedir. Örneklem, sırasıyla genel diş hekimliği ve ortodonti hastaları olmak üzere yüzer kişilik iki gruba ayrılmıştır. Hastalara Kessler Psikolojik Sıkıntı Ölçeği'ni (K10) içeren önceden hazırlanmış olan iki anket formu doldurtulmuştur.
Bulgular: Toplam örneklemin yüzde yetmiş altısı, COVID-19 salgını sırasında izolasyon konusunda endişeli hissetmiştir. Genel diş hekimliği hastalarında anksiyete ve depresyon düzeyleri, ortodontik hastalardan istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur. Ayrıca ortodonti hastalarının %40'ı tedavi sürelerinin uzayacağından korkarken, %35'i karantina süresince diş hareketlerinin olumsuz etkilendiği konusunda hemfikir oldukları tespit edilmiştir.
Sonuç: Karantinanın, randevu devamlılığı ve hastaların tedavilerine ilişkin kaygıları üzerinde etkisi olduğu gözlenmiştir. Çoğu hasta, rutin diş randevuları sırasında enfekte olmaktan veya akrabalarına virus bulaştırmaktan korkmaktadır. Ortodonti hastaları, pandeminin tedavileri üzerindeki olası olumsuz etkisi konusunda genel diş hekimliği hastalarına göre daha fazla endişelidir. Ortodontik tedavi rutin randevularla uzun süreli bir tedavi olduğundan bu hastaların kaygı düzeylerini azaltmak için rutin tele-ortodontik randevular acil olmayan durumlar için bir çözüm olabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

COVİD-19, Ortodonti, Anket, Psikolojik stress

Kaynakça

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