“Effect of Trait Anxiety in Women on Oral Health Status and Oral Health Care-Seeking Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study”

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the potential effects of trait anxiety on a myriad of oral health outcomes including periodontal health status, bruxism activity, and dental caries risk. A convenient sample of Egyptian women between 20 and 55 years of age was recruited from the Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University, between January 2020 and July 2021. Out of 479 women who were assessed for eligibility according to pre-set inclusion and exclusion criteria, 451 participated in this study after providing informed consent. Participating women underwent face-to-face interviews, in Arabic language, whereby data was collected on sociodemographics, oral hygiene practices, smoking habits, bruxism, self-perceived oral health, and oral health care-seeking behaviour. Trait anxiety was assessed using the Egyptian version of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory- Trait subscale (STAI-T), in a self-administered mode. Through clinical examination, periodontal health status and caries risk were assessed using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and the American Dental Association caries risk assessment tool, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that the mean trait anxiety levels in Egyptian women were relatively high (48.6 ±9.3), and those levels were significantly associated with low educational attainment (p<0.001). High levels of trait anxiety independently predicted higher odds of periodontal disease (aOR: 1.11; 95%CI= 1.07, 1.14; p<0.001), higher caries risk (aOR: 1.03; 95%CI= 1.01, 1.06; p=0.006) and bruxing activity (aOR:1.07; 95%CI= 1.04, 1.1; p<0.001).