Assessment of Social Desirability Bias in Self reported Oral Health Status and Dental Anxiety among Patients Visiting the Tertiary Institute: A Cross sectional Study

Abstract Background: Social desirability bias (SDB) has the tendency to underreport the undesirable and overreport the more desired social attributes. SDB in self-reported studies is a well-recognized issue in research involving both adults and children, acknowledged by numerous researchers as a limitation in their studies. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess SDB of self-reports in oral health status and dental anxiety of patients visiting the tertiary care institute of Himachal Pradesh. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted and the information was recorded on a structured pro forma. An accurate and consistent tool such as the Marlow–Crowne Social Desirability Scale, Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), and self-reports in oral health status (SROHS) were utilized based on prior studies. Multiple linear regression resulted in the derivation of two distinct models. The null hypothesis posited for the regression analysis was that the combined total of all regression coefficients equals to zero. Interpretation was conducted based on the variance in R-squared from model 1 to model 2. Results: SDB mean score for the study was 7.77 ± 2.03. Females showed higher scores in SROHS, DAS, and SDB compared to males, with statistical significance observed only for SROHS. Similarly, postgraduates reported higher scores in SROHS and SDB, but statistical significance was found only for SROHS. Dental anxiety scores were notably higher among participants with educational qualifications below graduation level. The variance explained in SDB due to self-reports in oral health status and dental anxiety was minimal to 0.5%. Conclusion: The SDB in self-reports of oral health status and dental anxiety was absent. The potential challenge lies in identifying the bias and using appropriate study tools to control this systematic error.