Sensitivity to change of the COVID-19 anxiety syndrome scale among Canadian dentists.

Introduction: The COVID-19 Anxiety Syndrome Scale (C-19ASS) is valid and reliable instrument to measure COVID-19 related anxiety in Canadian dentists. There is a need to further validate the C-19ASS by evaluating its sensitivity to change over time.

Aim: To estimate the sensitivity to change over time of the C-19ASS in a sample of Canadian dentists. To estimate the effect of age, sex, practice type and vaccination on the anxiety levels of dentists in Canada.

Methods: Longitudinal data were used from a prospective cohort study conducted to estimate the incidence of COVID-19 among dentists practising in Canada. Mixed effects ordinal logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between total C-19ASS scores and follow-up time in the study and COVID-19 case counts in the province of practice of the participants during the 14 days prior to completing the C-19ASS questionnaire. Mixed effects models were utilized to identify the factors associated with COVID-19 related anxiety.

Results: The odds of being in a more severe category of anxiety were reduced by 26% (OR 0.74, 95% C.I. 0.72-0.76) with every 30-day increase in the follow-up time. The odds of being in a more severe category of anxiety increased by 20% (Odds Ratio = 1.20, 95% C.I. = 1.12-1.27) with each 10,000 COVID-19 case increase in the dentists' work province during the 14 days prior to data collection. Age, sex and practice type were significantly associated with COVID-19 related anxiety in dentists.

Conclusion: The C-19ASS is sensitive to change over time and with external anxiety stimuli. COVID-19 related anxiety among dentists was associated with age, sex and practice type.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.