"Bioterrorism"- Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Among Faculty Members of Dental Schools of Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Objective : The purpose of this study was to assess Bioterrorism knowledge, attitude and practice among dentists serving as faculty members in dental schools situated in Uttar Pradesh. Design and Setting: Five among 28 Dental Schools in Uttar Pradesh (U.P) were randomly selected. The knowledge and attitude towards Bioterrorism was assessed by mailing a closed ended structured questionnaire with 24 questions which was pre-tested among 10 dentists of the same institution. Chi Square Test was employed for statistical analysis. Main outcome measures: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Bioterrorism among dental school faculty members. Results: Out of 150 questionnaire delivered, 115 returned (response rate = 76.6%). Only 7% of the survey respondents reported having Bioterrorism preparedness training. About 40% agreed that they could recognize oral manifestation of Bioterrorism agents. A high percentage (85.2%) was interested in participating in Bioterrorism response training. Conclusions: A low prevalence of prior training coupled with high degree of willingness to provide assistance in response to Bioterrorism suggests that a high priority should be established for providing dentists with the knowledge and training necessary to respond effectively in such an event.