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Prevalence of dental anxiety in the Netherlands
Author(s) -
Stouthard Marlies E. A.,
Hoogstraten Johan
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1990.tb00039.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anxiety , socioeconomic status , oral health , population , public health , dental health , dentistry , family medicine , environmental health , psychiatry , nursing
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of dental anxiety in the Netherlands by means of both a nationwide representative sample and a valid measurement instrument. The secondary aim was to discriminate between patients with high and low levels of dental anxiety on the basis of socioeconomic and oral health variables. Results showed that about 40% of the Dutch population experience a considerable degree of anxiety about dental treatment, and more than half of them can be considered as highly anxious. Dental anxiety is related to sex, age, and oral health status. Individuals most prone to experience dental anxiety are women between 26 and 35 yr of age who do not visit a dentist regularly, live in one of the big cities, have a moderate or high educational level, are Public Health Insurance (Ziekenfonds) patients with a minimum income, judge their oral health as bad, and do not attach much importance to the preservation of their teeth.