The effect of sociodemographic factors on dental anxiety in children seen in a suburban Nigerian hospital.
OBJECTIVE
This paper attempts to determine the sociodemographic factors that relate to dental anxiety in suburban African children.


METHODS
A short form of the Dental subscale of the Child Fear Survey schedule (DFSS_SF) was administered to 81 patients (first time attendees at the clinic) between the ages of eight and 13 years. The psychometric scale was used after determining its reliability and validity to ensure that it was culturally appropriate. Age, gender, sociodemographic status were also recorded. The dental anxiety score distribution, its threshold level as well as the relationship between the sociodemographic variables and patients' anxiety were determined.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant association between age (P = 0.856), gender (P = 0.124), socio-economic status of the children (P= 0.12) and level of dental anxiety. However, a statistically significant relationship did exist between the type of school the child attended and the anxiety level (P = 0.009). Also, 18 (14.8%) of the children were found to have high anxiety levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies involving larger non-clinic samples are needed to examine the issues raised by the findings of this study.
Folayan
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MO
Department Of Preventive Dentistry, Department Of Psychology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. mukpong2@yahoo.com
Idehen
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EE
Ufomata
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D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003752:Dental Health Services; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019036:Suburban Health Services