Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xfwgj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-28T04:45:41.289Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

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: drrajeshgrao@gmail.com

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 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Shapira, SC, Shemer, J. Medical management of terrorist attacks. Isr Med Assoc J. 2002;4(7):489-492.Google ScholarPubMed
2. More, FG, Phelan, J, Boylan, R, et al. Pre-doctoral dental school curriculum for catastrophe preparedness. J Dent Educ. 2004;68(8):851-858.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Psoter, WJ, Herman, NG, More, FG, et al. Proposed educational objectives for hospital-based dentists during catastrophic events and disaster response. J Dent Educ. 2006;70(8):835-843.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Glotzer, DL, Rinchiuso, A, Rekow, ED, et al. The medical reserve corps: an opportunity for dentistry to serve. N Y State Dent J. 2006;72(1):60-61.Google Scholar
5. O’Neill, PA. The ABCs of disaster response. Scand J Surg. 2005;94(4):259-266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Colvard, MD, Lampiris, LN, Cordell, GA, et al. The dental emergency responder: expanding the scope of dental practice. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137(4):468-473.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Vale, GL, Noguchi, TT. The role of the forensic dentist in mass disaster. Dent Clin North Am. 1977;21(1):123-135.Google Scholar
8. Guay, AH. Dentistry’s response to bioterrorism: a report of a consensus workshop. J Am Dent Assoc. 2002;133(9):1181-1187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Galligan, JM. Dentists can contribute expertise in a major public health disaster. Calif Dent Assoc J. 2004;32(8):701-708.Google Scholar
10. Psoter, WJ, Park, PJ, Boylan, RJ, et al. National emergency response programs for dental health care professionals. J Am Dent Assoc. 2008;139(8):1067-1073.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Jeffcoat, MK. Are we ready? Thinking about the unthinkable. J Am Dent Assoc. 2002;133(12):1600-1604.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Rekow, ED. The dental team: a ready reserve or an overlooked resource? J Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137(4):432-434.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Glick, M. Vaccines, epidemics, pandemics, and us. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137(6):706-708.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Katz, AR, Nekorchuk, DM, Holck, PS, et al. Dentists preparedness for responding to bioterrorism: a survey of Hawaii dentists. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137(4):461-467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Guay, AH. The role dentists can play in mass casualty and disaster events. Dent Clin North Am. 2007;51(4):767-778.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Rajesh, G, Chhabra, KG, Shetty, PJ, Prasad, KVV, Javali, SB. A survey on disaster management among postgraduate students in a private dental institution in India. Am J Disaster Med. 2011;6(5):309-318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Chhabra, KG, Rajesh, G, Shetty, PJ, Prasad, KVV, Chhabra, C, Muddapur, M. Disaster management among dental graduates in a private dental institution in India: a pilot study. Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8(1):37-43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18. Streiner, DL, Norman, GR. “Devising the items.” In: Health Measurement Scales: A Practical Guide to Their Development and Use. In: PDQ Statistics. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press; 1995.Google Scholar
19. Park, K. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 12th ed. Jabalpur, India: M/s Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers; 2009: 589.Google Scholar
20. Colvard, MD, Naiman, MI, Mata, D, Cordell, GA, Lampiris, L. Disaster medicine training survey results for dental health care providers in Illinois. J Am Dent Assoc. 2007;138(4):519-524.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Feliciano, DV, Anderson, GV. Management of casualties from the bombing at the centennial Olympics. Am J Surg. 1998;176(6):538-543.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22. Hirshberg, A, Stein, M, Walden, R. Surgical resource utilization in urban terrorist bombing: a computer simulation. J Trauma. 1999;47(3):545-550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23. Jacobs, LM, Goody, MM, Sinclair, A. The role of a trauma center in disaster management. J Trauma. 1983;23(8):697-701.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Stein, M, Hirshberg, A. Medical consequences of terrorism. The conventional weapon threat. Surg Clin North Am. 1999;79(6):1537-1552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Rajesh, G, Pai, MBH, Shenoy, R, Priya, H. Willingness to participate in disaster management among Indian dental graduates. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(5):439-444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26. Wang, L, Wei, JH, He, LS, et al. Dentists’ role in treating facial injuries sustained in the 2008 earthquake in China: how dental professionals can contribute to emergency response. J Am Dent Assoc. 2009;140(5):543-549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27. Kieser, JA, DeFeiter, J, TeMoananui, R. Automated dental aging for child victims of disasters. Am J Disaster Med. 2008;3(2):109-112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28. Nedel, F, Nedel, AP, da Silva, RHA, Lund, RG. Evaluation of identification cases involving forensic dentistry in the city of Pelotas, RS, Brazil, 2004-2006. Braz J Oral Sci. 2009;8(1):55-58.Google Scholar
29. Nuzzolese, E, Liuzzil, C, Quarta, G, et al. Dental contribution to an anthropological forensic case work of skeletal remains in Miglionico Countryside (South Italy). Open Anthropol J. 2010;3:142-147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30. Brannon, RB, Morlang, WM. Jonestown tragedy revisited: the role of dentistry. J Forensic Sci. 2002;47(1):3-7.Google ScholarPubMed
31. Djuric, MP, Milenkovic, PP, Djukic, KM. Dental status of victims from Batajnica’s mass graves. Coll Antropol. 2009;33(4):1387-1395.Google ScholarPubMed
32. Djuric, M, Dunjic, D, Djonic, D, Skinner, M. Identification of victims from two mass-graves in Serbia: a critical evaluation of classical markers of identity. Forensic Sci Int. 2007;172(2-3):125-129.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33. Pretty, IA, Sweet, D. A look at forensic dentistry, Part 1: the role of teeth in the determination of human identity. Br Dent J. 2001;190(7):359-366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34. Hinchliffe, JA. Disaster dentistry. Br Dent J. 2007;202(8):493-494.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed