TRAIT ANXIETY, SEX, AGE AND DENTAL TREATMENT EXPERIENCE AS DETERMINANTS OF DENTAL ANXIETY AMONG CHRONIC DENTAL PATIENTS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Objectives - To investigate the influence of trait anxiety, sex, age andprevious dental treatment experience on dental anxiety.Design - The study utilised a cross-sectional survey design. Independentvariables are trait anxiety, sex, age and dental treatment experience.Dependent variable is dental anxiety.Setting - The dental centre of a teaching hospital in Nigeria.Participants - Data were collected from 255 (115 male and 140 female)respondents selected through purposive sampling technique. The mean agewas 28.59 years (SD=10.74 years).Results: This study revealed that respondents with high trait anxiety levelsreported significantly higher dental anxiety (t (253) =- 5.78, p <.01) thanthose with low trait anxiety. Male respondents reported significantly lowerdental anxiety (t (253) = -3.04, p < .05) than the females.Conclusion: Trait anxiety dispositions and sex are important predictors ofdental anxiety and should be taken seriously in the management of dentalanxiety at the various secondary care dental centres.