Patients' attitudes to wearing of gloves by dentists in Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate patient's attitudes to the use of gloves by dentists.


METHODS
This consisted of a four-item questionnaire administered to 445 consecutive patients attending our dental clinic.


METHODS
. Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals' Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.


METHODS
Four hundred and forty five patients above the age of fifteen years attending the dental clinic for the first time.


RESULTS
Majority of the patients were in the 20-30 year age group and over 93% had formal education. Most of the respondents (88.8%) stated that glove wearing was essential and over 63% considered that glove wearing protected both the operator and the patient. Whilst about one-third of respondents would attend for treatment when gloves were not worn, 81.3% felt that gloves should be changed after each patient. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in responses in relation to age-groups and educational attainment, however no sex differences (p>0.05) were reported.


CONCLUSIONS
This survey showed a high level of awareness by patients on the use of gloves by dentists. It also found that age-groups and levels of educational attainment influenced patients attitude to glove use.
Otuyemi
O D
OD
Faculty of Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria.
Oginni
A O
AO
Ogunbodede
E O
EO
Oginni
F O
FO
Olusile
A O
AO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003815:Dentists / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005932:Gloves, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D019552:Infection Control, Dental / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*