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Caministeanu F, Manolescu LSC, Malița MA, Perieanu VȘ, Marcov EC, Babiuc I, Ionescu C, Pîrvu CF, Costea RC, Voinescu I, Burlibasa L, Prasacu I, Burlibasa M. Ageing People Living with HIV/AIDS, PLWHA; More Dental Challenges; the Romanian Dental Professional's Point of View. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051096. [PMID: 37240741 DOI: 10.3390/life13051096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Romania, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) were first acknowledged in 1989. Getting older with HIV/AIDS is now possible due to antiretroviral treatment, but it can bring dental problems due to HIV itself or to the reluctance of dental professionals to treat dental problems. Our study aims to assess the attitudes, knowledge, and practices of Romanian dental professionals regarding aging PLWHA. METHODS An analytical cross-sectional observational survey based on a self-administered questionnaire was conducted for Romanian dental professionals from October 2022 to January 2023. RESULTS The responders' group profile was as follows: a mean age of 39.09 ± 0.36 years (limit: 19-75), a majority of 991 (90.01%) from urban dental offices, and 364 (33.06%) with more than twenty years' experience. A total of 517 (46.95%) responders had an unprofessional attitude and declared that, if possible, they would avoid taking part in performing dental treatments for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). There were 89 (8.08%) dental professionals that refused to work with PLWHA. Only 363 (32.97%) had worked with one previously. The dental professionals in rural areas refused PLWHA more frequently: 20% (N = 22) of rural dental professionals vs. 6.76% (N = 67) of urban dental professionals refused to work with PLWHA (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.16-.56). The logistic regression applied for the 1101 responders revealed after stepwise selection that the most influential factor for their refusal to work with PLWHA in our study group was being previously exposed to HIV during dental practice (OR = 14.45; 95% CI: 8.55- 24.42; p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS Dental educators and health care planners should promote the knowledge of prophylaxis and positive attitudes towards the treatment of PLWHA. Successful resolution of these concerns is time consuming and expensive but necessary if dentists are to satisfy their professional obligations to HIV/AIDS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florentina Caministeanu
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Loredana Sabina Cornelia Manolescu
- Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Virology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mădălina Adriana Malița
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Viorel Ștefan Perieanu
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elena Cristina Marcov
- Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 0102210 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Iuliana Babiuc
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Camelia Ionescu
- Department of Dental Prostheses, Faculty of Dentistry, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 0102210 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristina Florentina Pîrvu
- Department Scientific Research Methodology-Ergonomics, Faculty of Dentistry, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 0102210 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Radu Catalin Costea
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana Voinescu
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Liliana Burlibasa
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Prasacu
- Department of Fundamental Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihai Burlibasa
- Department of Dental Technology, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
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Henderson DK. Weighing the consequence of doing nothing versus those of doing something: post-exposure chemoprophylaxis for occupational exposures to HIV. J Hosp Infect 1999; 43 Suppl:S225-33. [PMID: 10658784 DOI: 10.1016/s0195-6701(99)90091-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D K Henderson
- Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-1504, USA
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Abstract
Workplace injuries at the University of Queensland Dental School during the period 1992-1994 were assessed to determine their incidence, and the associated indirect costs, causal factors, and appropriate preventive strategies. Overall, dental chairside assistants experienced a higher incidence of injuries than students both on a per worker and per time basis. Of the injuries with a low risk of cross-infection, burns and scalds from sterilizing equipment, and eye injuries in laboratories were the most common. This emphasizes the importance of wearing appropriate protective equipment in areas outside the treatment zone, and the need for signage and education. Common causes of sharps injuries were burs left in handpieces, two-handed needle recapping, and cleaning of probes in the sterilizing room. Changes to techniques and equipment would prevent such incidents. A range of factors which contribute to the calculation of indirect costs following injuries in the dental workplace are identified.
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