Risk factors influencing dentists' hepatitis B-related knowledge and attitudes and their willingness to treat hepatitis B positive patients

This study assessed factors that could predict dentists' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards hepatitis B virus [HBV]. A total of 300 dentists in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran were surveyed and their demographic, educational and office characteristics were analysed in relation to their scores on knowledge about HBV, self-reported attitudes towards treating people infected with HBV and actual behaviour towards treating simulated HBV-positive patients. Having a Master's degree, faculty membership, taking >/= 3 continuing education courses, wearing eyeshields, spending more time on preparing dental units and higher self-confidence about knowledge predicted better knowledge. A positive attitude was associated with having attended more courses and working in group practice. The number of courses and a shorter dental unit preparation time positively affected dentists' behaviour

Tehran dentists' knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis B and their willingness to treat simulated hepatitis B positive patients

The dental profession has a high risk of hepatitis B virus [HBV] contamination and can play a crucial role in controlling HBV cross-contamination. In this cross-sectional study we used unique methods to assess Tehran dentists' knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding HBV. Two simulated HBV-positive patients visited 300 general/specialist dentists in their offices and recorded dentists' willingness to treat them. Later, the dentists were interviewed regarding their knowledge about hepatitis B and attitude to HBV-positive patients. The mean knowledge score of dentists was 14.3 [SD 6.9] out of 44 and the mean attitude score was 20.0 [SD 3.6] out of 39. A majority of dentists [55.6%] were willing to treat a patient with HBV, unconditionally or with conditions. Some individual attitude items correlated with knowledge items concerning transmission of the virus and its prevention. Dentists' willingness to treat patients did not correlate with knowledge or attitude, except for the attitude item on concern about becoming infected

Tehran dentists' self-reported knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and observed willingness to treat simulated HIV-positive patients

Dentists' self-reported attitudes towards patients with HIV/AIDS might not reflect their actual behaviour. In this study 2 observers posed as HIV-positive patients and directly evaluated the behaviour of 300 dentists in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Two months later another observer interviewed the same dentists at their offices regarding AIDS-related knowledge and self-reported attitudes. Only 14.9% of dentists agreed to treat the simulated HIV-positive patients, 78.5% referred and 6.6% rejected them. Older age, longer work experience, graduation from a non-Iranian university and not having additional degrees were significantly related to adverse behaviours. Mean scores were 8.3 [SD 9.7] [out of 18] for knowledge and 17.5 [SD 7.1] [out of 39] for attitude. There were no significant correlations between dentists' knowledge and attitude or between knowledge and behaviour, but there was a weak positive correlation between self-reported attitude and observed behaviour