Self-Reported Medical and Dental Care Needs During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Saudi Arabia
Author(s): Osamah Mohammed Al Mugeiren*
Abstract
Background: During the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, a noteworthy shift in the utilization of medical and dental services was noticed. Hence, this study investigated the Saudi population's self-reported medical and dental care needs during the COVID-19 lockdown. Study subjects and methods: The study participants comprised citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia who were active on various social media platforms (WhatsApp and Twitter). This cross-sectional study was carried out from June 15 to August 25, 2020, during the lockdown period in Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was prepared using the Survey monkey platform, and the link was shared on prominent social media platforms in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of demographic variables, sources of COVID-19 information, any medical or dental care needs (rather than COVID-19 symptoms), and the action taken towards this need. Descriptive statistics, multiple response analyses and a Chi-square test were applied to the data. Results: A total of 2938 subjects with a mean age of 31±10 years participated in this study. Of the 2938 participants, 2807 (95.5%) were citizens, and 131 (4.5%) were Saudi Arabian residents. Twitter (32.90%) was the primary source of information on COVID-19, followed by television (21.00%), government websites (16.7%), WhatsApp (13%), and other sources. Nearly 549 (18.7%) took an Analgesic (Pain Killer), 354 (12.0%) took the risk and went to a hospital emergency room, and 221 (7.5%) consulted a pharmacist. However, 651 (22.2%) took an analgesic for their toothache, and 405 (13.8%) visited an available dental clinic. In addition, 52 (1.8%) took the risk and went to the hospital emergency room, and 55 (1.9%) consulted a pharmacist. Gender (?2=9.799, p=0.007), marital status (?2=9.434, p=0.009), and work or study status in health care (?2 =12.870, p=0.012) demonstrated a statistically significant difference. Similarly, gender (?2=9.361, p=0.025) and marital status (?2=9.436, p=0.024) significantly affected participants' actions toward dental needs Conclusion: During the COVID-19 lockdown, participants in this research reported a lack of medical and dental care needs. The use of analgesics was the primary response to medical and dental needs. The medical and dental measures taken during the COVID-19 lockdown differed considerably by gender, marital status, and health care professional position.