Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: The global catastrophe caused by COVID-19 needs no elaboration. Among potential transmission sources, dental services have received a high attention; hence, the dental patients’ perceived threat for infection and attitudes about receiving dental care during the pandemic are important a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: C. A. Akhil, Hemamalini Rath, Shilpa Mahapatra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_270_23
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849324296450605056
author C. A. Akhil
Hemamalini Rath
Shilpa Mahapatra
author_facet C. A. Akhil
Hemamalini Rath
Shilpa Mahapatra
author_sort C. A. Akhil
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The global catastrophe caused by COVID-19 needs no elaboration. Among potential transmission sources, dental services have received a high attention; hence, the dental patients’ perceived threat for infection and attitudes about receiving dental care during the pandemic are important aspects which need to be explored. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the perceived threat of the patients to COVID-19 and related attitude and beliefs about professional dental care visit during the pandemic. Methodology: This qualitative study was conducted among 30 dental patients visiting a tertiary healthcare center in Odisha, using a semistructured in-depth interview guide. Results: The thematic analysis of the responses reflected that all respondents had low perception of susceptibility to COVID-19 in dental hospital setting. Hence, there was only one category that emerged under the theme of perceived susceptibility. This outcome was in turn influenced by three subcategories of beliefs of the individual participant, that is, awareness about COVID-19 infection, environmental risk perception, and individual risk perception. Conclusion: Lack of knowledge and awareness about the disease, less personal risk perception, and less perceived threat of infection from dental setting were found to be the reasons for less perceived susceptibility of the respondents to COVID-19 infection as explored in this study. Our findings emphasize the need for properly planned public awareness and education programs regarding dental care, in a pandemic situation.
format Article
id doaj-art-31bb3701e5824072802a789a9294aba2
institution Kabale University
issn 2319-5932
2350-0484
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
spelling doaj-art-31bb3701e5824072802a789a9294aba22025-08-20T03:48:46ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry2319-59322350-04842025-01-01231687410.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_270_23Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative StudyC. A. AkhilHemamalini RathShilpa MahapatraIntroduction: The global catastrophe caused by COVID-19 needs no elaboration. Among potential transmission sources, dental services have received a high attention; hence, the dental patients’ perceived threat for infection and attitudes about receiving dental care during the pandemic are important aspects which need to be explored. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the perceived threat of the patients to COVID-19 and related attitude and beliefs about professional dental care visit during the pandemic. Methodology: This qualitative study was conducted among 30 dental patients visiting a tertiary healthcare center in Odisha, using a semistructured in-depth interview guide. Results: The thematic analysis of the responses reflected that all respondents had low perception of susceptibility to COVID-19 in dental hospital setting. Hence, there was only one category that emerged under the theme of perceived susceptibility. This outcome was in turn influenced by three subcategories of beliefs of the individual participant, that is, awareness about COVID-19 infection, environmental risk perception, and individual risk perception. Conclusion: Lack of knowledge and awareness about the disease, less personal risk perception, and less perceived threat of infection from dental setting were found to be the reasons for less perceived susceptibility of the respondents to COVID-19 infection as explored in this study. Our findings emphasize the need for properly planned public awareness and education programs regarding dental care, in a pandemic situation.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_270_23covid-19perceived susceptibilityphenomenological approach
spellingShingle C. A. Akhil
Hemamalini Rath
Shilpa Mahapatra
Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study
Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
covid-19
perceived susceptibility
phenomenological approach
title Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study
title_full Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study
title_fullStr Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study
title_full_unstemmed Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study
title_short Perceived Threat towards COVID-19 Infection among Dental Patients of Odisha: A Qualitative Study
title_sort perceived threat towards covid 19 infection among dental patients of odisha a qualitative study
topic covid-19
perceived susceptibility
phenomenological approach
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_270_23
work_keys_str_mv AT caakhil perceivedthreattowardscovid19infectionamongdentalpatientsofodishaaqualitativestudy
AT hemamalinirath perceivedthreattowardscovid19infectionamongdentalpatientsofodishaaqualitativestudy
AT shilpamahapatra perceivedthreattowardscovid19infectionamongdentalpatientsofodishaaqualitativestudy