Parental knowledge and perception towards the use of conscious sedation: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Behavioural management alleviates dental anxiety and instills a positive dental attitude. Conscious sedation is a pharmacological behavioural management technique wherein medications are administered to achieve a minimally depressed level of consciousness, allowing the patient to independently maintain their airway and sustain verbal contact.

Aim: To assess Nigerian parental knowledge and perception towards the use of conscious sedation in the dental management of children.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 150 parents of children who presented at the Paediatric Dental Clinic of LUTH from March 2021 to February 2023. Questionnaires on knowledge and perception of conscious sedation were administered to parents who met the inclusion criteria using a consecutive non-probability sampling technique. SPSS version 25 was used for data analysis. Numeric variables were presented using mean and standard deviation. Frequencies and percentages were presented for categorical variables. All tests were carried out at a 5% level of significance and 95% confidence interval.

Results: A total of 150 parents with a mean age of 38.13 ± 8.37 years were recruited. More than half of the participants (56.7%) had not heard of conscious sedation prior to this study. Of the 65 participants who had heard of conscious sedation, 38 (58.5%) demonstrated good knowledge, while 67.4% had a positive perception of conscious sedation. However, overall, 112 (75%) of the 150 participants had poor knowledge of conscious sedation.

Conclusion: The majority of study participants had poor knowledge of conscious sedation. However, most parents who had heard of conscious sedation prior to the study demonstrated good knowledge and a positive perception of the technique.