Anxiety among dental professionals and its association with their dependency on social media for health information: insights from the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Social media can play a detrimental role during a global health emergency. In this study, we aimed at assessing the impact social media has on the anxiety level of dental healthcare workers (DHCWs) whilst living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An online questionnaire was disseminated to a cross-sectional sample of DHCWs from 19 countries using social media platforms. The questionnaire enquired about DHCWs’ frequency of using social media and their dependency on health-related information posted on those platforms. Anxiety was measured using General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Results Four-hundred and three (403) DHCWs completed the online questionnaire. Sixty-eight percent (68%) frequently use social media for information on COVID-19. The frequency of social media use was higher among younger DHCWs, with shorter clinical experience, and holders of undergraduate qualifications (p = 0.009, p = 0.002, and p = 0.023, respectively). Almost one third of DHCWs had moderate to severe anxiety (31.7%), which was significantly associated with the frequency of social media use (p = 0.016). This association was adjusted for age, years of experience and qualification level (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.05–2.93; p = 0.032). Conclusion COVID-19 social media infodemic has been adversely impacting the psychological wellbeing of DHCWs. More effective measures are needed to control the quality and spreadability of health information on social media platforms.

Perceived Stress in Dentists and Dental Students of Latin America and the Caribbean during the Mandatory Social Isolation Measures for the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Females reported a higher level of stress (bivariate analysis); this finding is similar to those of studies involving dental staff [19], although another study did not report differences between males and females [15]. Some studies focused on other mental health indicators have exhibited gender differences-for example, a study with a cross-sectional sample of DHCWs from 19 countries using social media platforms reported higher anxiety in females [20]. The same situation was found in the case of studies carried out in Ecuador [27] and Turkey [22].…”

“…In this sense, the impact of social media on the mental health of dental staff should be considered. A cross-sectional study conducted in DHCWs from 19 countries showed that the social media infodemic has affected the psychological well-being of dental students and dentists since a statistically significant association was found between the presence of anxiety and the frequency of use of social media [20]. However, we found variables associated in the bivariate analyses (statistically significant) with the stress perceived by the study's participants and that are related to knowledge and attitudes related to COVID-19.…”

“…For instance, a scoping review published in 2020 indicated 15 scales measuring COVID-19-associated mental health problems validated among diverse populations across the world [35]. Specifically, on indicators related to mental health in dental staff [14][15][16][17][18][19][20], six studies have evaluated stress [14,15,18,19,22,23] by using different psychometric scales and instruments, including the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) [15,19], the Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale K6 [18], GP-CORE [23], and open-ended questions about stress-related factors [14,22].…”

“…Similarly, other effects of the pandemic including the field of nutrition (a possible increase of overweight and obesity) [13], changes in family dynamics by the presence of children, or elders that represent some burden when they are economic providers, household income, among others [9,10]. When mental health is considered, several studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health indicators in dentists, dental students, and support personnel [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. In addition, some studies have investigated the consequences of the national lockdowns on the perceived distress in these dental workers and other impacts [23].…”

Eye Tracking and an A/B Split Test for Social Media Marketing Optimisation: The Connection between the User Profile and Ad Creative Components

“…Even though online presence and social media are portrayed as key factors for dental clinics' growth [33,34], there are many issues and challenging edges that these types of businesses are facing nowadays [35,36]. For example, social media has become an integral part of patients' lives [37,38], and this fact stimulates professionals to align their promotional actions to the highly requested need for personalization. The challenging necessity of delivering a good experience and building trust and long-term relationships [39][40][41] represents "'the most important way to attract and convert new patients into lifelong ones" who will choose to remain faithful to a clinic [42].…”