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Disaster Management and General Dental Practitioners in India: An Overlooked Resource

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2015

Kumar Gaurav Chhabra
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jodhpur Dental College General Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Gururaghavendran Rajesh*
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Chaya Chhabra
Affiliation:
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Jodhpur Dental College General Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Almas Binnal
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Ashish Sharma
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jodhpur Dental College General Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Yashpal Pachori
Affiliation:
Department Of Orthodontics and Dento-Facial Orthopedics, Jodhpur Dental College General Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
*
Correspondence: Gururaghavendran Rajesh, MDS Department of Public Health Dentistry Manipal College of Dental Sciences Manipal University Mangalore, Karnataka, India E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Objective

To assess General Dental Practitioners’ (GDPs) in India willingness to participate in disaster management and their previous training pertaining to disaster management, and to assess GDP objective knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding disaster management.

Materials and Methods

This study was a cross-sectional survey conducted on all GDPs of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Willingness to participate, perceived knowledge, perceived effectiveness, objective knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding disaster management were assessed through questionnaire method. Information also was collected regarding age, gender, religion, and residence.

Results

A total of 142 out of 180 GDPs participated in the study, representing a response rate of 79%. A majority (85%) of respondents were willing to participate in disaster management. Mean score for knowledge was 12.21%, for attitude was 33.56%, for behavior was 14.50%, and for perceived effectiveness was 9.08%. Significant correlations were observed between qualification and perceived effectiveness (P=.003), and between attitude and years of practice (P=.04). Willingness to participate in disaster management and age showed significant association (P=.000).

Conclusions

High willingness and attitude to participate in disaster management was observed among respondents. Low knowledge and behavior scores were observed among GDPs.

ChhabraKG , RajeshG , ChhabraC , BinnalA , SharmaA , PachoriY . Disaster Management and General Dental Practitioners in India: An Overlooked Resource. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):569–573.

Type
Original Research
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2015 

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