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Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy: knowledge, management of patients and clinical experience of Italian dentists during the spread of contagion
Alessandra Putrino
Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Facolta di Medicina e Odontoiatria
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5278-145X
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Oral Health.
Background: The coronavirus infection that emerged in China in the last few months of 2019 has now spread globally. Italy registered its first case in the second half of February, and in a short time period, it became the top country in Europe in terms of the number of infected people and the first in the world in terms of deaths. The medical and scientific community has been called upon to manage the emergency and to take measures. Dentists also need to take new precautions during their clinical activity to protect themselves, coworkers and patients from the risks of contagion and to avoid further spread of infection.
Methods: Following the data published in the international literature as well as the guidelines and directives constantly updated by the WHO and by the national health authorities, a questionnaire to be completed anonymously was submitted online to Italian dentists using social tools and online professional platforms. The collected data were processed statistically, providing descriptive data and analysis of correlations of the most significant parameters using the Pearson’s χ2, the Likelihood-Ratio χ2, Cramér’s V, Fisher’s exact test, Goodman and Kruskal’s γ, and Kendall’s τb (p<0.05).
Results: A total of 535 dentists from Italy participated in the survey. A good level of scientific knowledge about coronavirus and the extra precautionary measures needed to limit the spread was related to the age of respondents and their sex. Coming from areas with higher concentrations of cases affected knowledge, level of attention and perception of risk related to dental activity.
Conclusions: At the moment, there are no therapies or vaccines to contain the infection with the new coronavirus that is causing many infections, many of which are fatal, worldwide. Dentists are one of the categories at highest risk of encountering diseases and infections because they work in close proximity with patients, and in their procedures, there is always contact with aerosols with high bacterial and viral potential. Therefore, during this COVID-19 emergency, it is important that dentists are properly informed and take the appropriate precautionary measures.
Keywords
2019 novel coronavirus, COVID-19, dentistry, health management, knowledge, survey
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Oral Health. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy: knowledge, management of patients and clinical experience of Italian dentists during the spread of contagion
Alessandra Putrino
Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Facolta di Medicina e Odontoiatria
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5278-145X
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 5
Posted 01 Jul, 2020
Published
On 10 Jul, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 01 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 29 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 28 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 28 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 26 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 25 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 24 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 24 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 20 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 15 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 03 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 01 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 22 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 09 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 09 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 09 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 03 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 02 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 02 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 31 Mar, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Oral Health.
Background: The coronavirus infection that emerged in China in the last few months of 2019 has now spread globally. Italy registered its first case in the second half of February, and in a short time period, it became the top country in Europe in terms of the number of infected people and the first in the world in terms of deaths. The medical and scientific community has been called upon to manage the emergency and to take measures. Dentists also need to take new precautions during their clinical activity to protect themselves, coworkers and patients from the risks of contagion and to avoid further spread of infection.
Methods: Following the data published in the international literature as well as the guidelines and directives constantly updated by the WHO and by the national health authorities, a questionnaire to be completed anonymously was submitted online to Italian dentists using social tools and online professional platforms. The collected data were processed statistically, providing descriptive data and analysis of correlations of the most significant parameters using the Pearson’s χ2, the Likelihood-Ratio χ2, Cramér’s V, Fisher’s exact test, Goodman and Kruskal’s γ, and Kendall’s τb (p<0.05).
Results: A total of 535 dentists from Italy participated in the survey. A good level of scientific knowledge about coronavirus and the extra precautionary measures needed to limit the spread was related to the age of respondents and their sex. Coming from areas with higher concentrations of cases affected knowledge, level of attention and perception of risk related to dental activity.
Conclusions: At the moment, there are no therapies or vaccines to contain the infection with the new coronavirus that is causing many infections, many of which are fatal, worldwide. Dentists are one of the categories at highest risk of encountering diseases and infections because they work in close proximity with patients, and in their procedures, there is always contact with aerosols with high bacterial and viral potential. Therefore, during this COVID-19 emergency, it is important that dentists are properly informed and take the appropriate precautionary measures.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4