Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Cheongju University, Cheongju, Korea.
Department of Dental Hygiene, Daejeon Health Institute of Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
Int J Dent Hyg. 2022 Aug;20(3):580-589. doi: 10.1111/idh.12577. Epub 2022 Feb 17.
To evaluate infection control knowledge and its practice of clinical dental hygienists in response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Korea.
Nine questions (Q9-K) on the degree of knowledge acquisition of dental hygienists in response to COVID-19, and another 9 questions (Q9-P) on the practices for COVID-19 infection and spread prevention were prepared. From 500 clinical dental hygienists in South Korea, answers about their general characteristics, Q9-K, and Q9-P were collected. 1 point was given to each question based on the 'yes' answers from Q9-K and Q9-P, and Score-K and Score-P were calculated, respectively. To identify factors affecting Score-P, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed. In all analyses, p-values lower than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Average scores of Score-K and Score-P were 7.36 ± 1.35 and 6.26 ± 2.07, respectively. The regression model of Score-P was significant (F = 20.788, p < 0.001). Concerning Score-P, Score-K (β = 0.385), age (β = 0.275), dental hospital (β = 0.158), monthly income of $2,360~$2,730 (β = 0.104) had a significantly positive correlation, and the total years of career (β = -0.293) are found to have a significantly negative correlation.
Infection control knowledge and practice of clinical dental hygienists in South Korea was found to be vulnerable in the group of hygienists who are younger than 27 years old, working in dental clinics, and whose monthly income is less than under $2,000. Also, the factor that influences infection control practice the most was the degree of knowledge. Therefore, continuous infection control education and supplement targeting these vulnerable groups are necessary.
评估韩国临床牙科保健员应对 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的感染控制知识和实践。
准备了 9 个问题（Q9-K），以评估牙科保健员对 COVID-19 的知识获取程度，以及另外 9 个问题（Q9-P），以评估预防 COVID-19 感染和传播的实践。从韩国的 500 名临床牙科保健员中收集了有关他们一般特征、Q9-K 和 Q9-P 的答案。根据 Q9-K 和 Q9-P 的“是”回答，每题给 1 分，分别计算得分-K 和得分-P。为了确定影响得分-P 的因素，进行了多元线性回归分析。在所有分析中，p 值低于 0.05 被认为具有统计学意义。
得分-K 和得分-P 的平均得分分别为 7.36±1.35 和 6.26±2.07。得分-P 的回归模型具有统计学意义（F=20.788，p<0.001）。关于得分-P，得分-K（β=0.385）、年龄（β=0.275）、牙科医院（β=0.158）、每月收入 2360-2730 美元（β=0.104）与得分-P 呈正相关，总工龄（β=-0.293）与得分-P 呈负相关。
韩国临床牙科保健员的感染控制知识和实践在年龄小于 27 岁、在牙科诊所工作、月收入低于 2000 美元的保健员中较为脆弱。此外，影响感染控制实践最重要的因素是知识程度。因此，有必要针对这些弱势群体持续进行感染控制教育和补充。
