Volume 49, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Research in Medicine 2025, 49(2): 0-0 |
Back to browse issues page
Ethics code: 1402.056.IR.ZUMS.REC
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Saleki F, Hosseini Sani A, Vaezjalali M. Investigation of the Frequency of SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Related Factors among Dentists in Zanjan from March 2020 to February 2023. Research in Medicine 2025; 49 (2)
URL: http://pejouhesh.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-3481-en.html
URL: http://pejouhesh.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-3481-en.html
Shahid Beheshti University of medical sciences , Maryam.Vaezjalali@sbmu.ac.ir
Abstract: (269 Views)
Background and Aim: Dentists, due to direct contact with saliva, blood, and contaminated aerosols, are at high risk of contracting respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 (the causative agent of COVID-19). Given the possibility of re-emergence or emergence of new diseases, the importance of reinfection and its related factors, and the limited available information, this study was conducted among dentists in Zanjan from March 2020 to February 2023.
Methods: The questionnaire designed for this cross-sectional study was completed in person over a period of seven months by 160 dentists who met the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Eta statistics, Spearman’s rank correlation test, and Kendall’s τb test. The validity of the questionnaire was established through previous studies and consultations with dental specialists, particularly infectious disease experts. Reliability was assessed using the test–retest method with a 10-day interval. Related factors were determined based on the background and expertise of relevant faculty members and are presented using descriptive statistics.
Results: Among the 160 participants, 117 (73.1%) had been infected with COVID-19 at least once. Receiving the first to third doses of various vaccines showed a moderate correlation (η² = 0.07–0.09) with non-infection. There was an inverse and significant correlation between infection frequency and adherence to preventive measures, including triage (p < 0.001, r = -0.40), health protocols (p < 0.001, r = -0.372), prophylactic mouthwash use (p < 0.001, r = -0.307), protective equipment (p < 0.001), and disinfection (p = 0.004, r = -0.10).
Conclusion: Vaccination and the implementation of preventive measures—including triage, disinfection, adherence to health protocols, use of prophylactic mouthwashes, and the use of protective equipment- significantly reduced the incidence of COVID-19 infections. It is recommended that similar studies be conducted on a broader population and under varying climatic and geographical conditions.
Keywords: COVID-19; Dentists; COVID-19 vaccines; Outbreak; Prevention; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); Patient triage; Prophylactic mouthwash; Surface disinfection
Methods: The questionnaire designed for this cross-sectional study was completed in person over a period of seven months by 160 dentists who met the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Eta statistics, Spearman’s rank correlation test, and Kendall’s τb test. The validity of the questionnaire was established through previous studies and consultations with dental specialists, particularly infectious disease experts. Reliability was assessed using the test–retest method with a 10-day interval. Related factors were determined based on the background and expertise of relevant faculty members and are presented using descriptive statistics.
Results: Among the 160 participants, 117 (73.1%) had been infected with COVID-19 at least once. Receiving the first to third doses of various vaccines showed a moderate correlation (η² = 0.07–0.09) with non-infection. There was an inverse and significant correlation between infection frequency and adherence to preventive measures, including triage (p < 0.001, r = -0.40), health protocols (p < 0.001, r = -0.372), prophylactic mouthwash use (p < 0.001, r = -0.307), protective equipment (p < 0.001), and disinfection (p = 0.004, r = -0.10).
Conclusion: Vaccination and the implementation of preventive measures—including triage, disinfection, adherence to health protocols, use of prophylactic mouthwashes, and the use of protective equipment- significantly reduced the incidence of COVID-19 infections. It is recommended that similar studies be conducted on a broader population and under varying climatic and geographical conditions.
Keywords: COVID-19; Dentists; COVID-19 vaccines; Outbreak; Prevention; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); Patient triage; Prophylactic mouthwash; Surface disinfection
Keywords: COVID-19, Dentists, COVID-19 vaccines, Outbreak, Prevention, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Patient triage, Prophylactic mouthwash, Surface disinfection
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Infectious diseases
Received: 2025/07/21 | Accepted: 2025/10/18 | Published: 2025/12/13
Received: 2025/07/21 | Accepted: 2025/10/18 | Published: 2025/12/13
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |