Sociodemographic Factors Associated with the Satisfaction Level of Peruvian Dental Students with Virtual Classes During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Bicentric Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic Variables of Dental Students at a Peruvian University

Variable	Category	Frequency	Percentage
Age group	< 25 years	129	54.4
	≥ 25 year	108	45.6
Sex	Female	161	67.9
	Male	76	32.1
Marital status	Single	186	78.5
	Married or cohabiting	51	21.5
Monthly family income	< 500 US dollars	102	43
	500 to 1000 US dollars	91	38.4
	> 1000 US dollars	44	18.6
Area of residence	Central urban	198	83.5
	Marginal urban	39	16.5
Place of origin	Capital	140	59.1
	Province	97	40.9
Occupation	Studying	69	29.1
	Studying and working	168	70.9
Computer use	Personal	173	73
	Shared	64	27
Academic year of study	3rd year	68	28.7
	4th year	59	24.9
	5th year	110	46.4
Age	Mean	Median	SD
	25.5	24	5.6

Abbreviation: SD, Standard Deviation.

Figure 1 Absolute and relative frequency of dental students’ level of satisfaction with virtual classes.

Table 2 Level of Satisfaction About Virtual Classes Associated with Students’ Sociodemographic Factors

Variable	Category	Satisfaction			p*
		Poor	Average	Good
Age group	< 25 years	9 (7.0)	51 (39.5)	69 (53.5)	0.350
	≥ 25 years	13 (12.0)	44 (40.7)	51 (47.2)
Sex	Female	16 (9.9)	65 (40.4)	80 (49.7)	0.848
	Male	6 (7.9)	30 (39.5)	40 (52.6)
Marital status	Single	16 (8.6)	69 (37.1)	101 (54.3)	0.098
	Married or cohabiting	6 (11.8)	26 (51.0)	19 (37.3)
Monthly family income	< 500 US dollars	15 (14.7)	39 (38.2)	48 (47.1)	0.134
	500 to 1000 US dollars	6 (6.6)	38 (41.8)	47 (51.6)
	> 1000 US dollars	1 (2.3)	18 (40.9)	25 (56.8)
Area of residence	Central urban	19 (9.6)	82 (41.4)	97 (49.0)	0.522
	Marginal urban	3 (7.7)	13 (33.3)	23 (59.0)
Place of origin	Capital	11 (7.9)	52 (37.1)	77 (55.0)	0.250
	Province	11 (11.3)	43 (44.3)	43 (44.3)
Occupation	Studying	5 (7.2)	25 (36.2)	39 (56.5)	0.481
	Studying and working	17 (10.1)	70 (41.7)	81 (48.2)
Computer use	Personal	14 (8.1)	76 (43.9)	83 (48.0)	0.120
	Shared	8 (12.5)	19 (29.7)	37 (57.8)
Academic year of study	3rd year	10 (14.7)	25 (36.8)	33 (48.5)	0.024*
	4th year	2 (3.4)	18 (30.5)	39 (66.1)
	5th year	10 (9.1)	52 (47.3)	48 (43.6)

Note: *Based on Pearson’s Chi-square, p<0.05 (significant association).

Table 3 Satisfaction Scale of Dental Students’ Virtual Classes Associated with Their Sociodemographic Variables

Question	SD	D	N	A	SA	Age Group	Sex	Marital Status	Monthly Family Income	Area of Residence	Place of Origin	Occupation	Computer Use	Academic Year of Study
	f (%)	f (%)	f (%)	f (%)	f (%)	f (%)	p*	p*	p*	p*	p*	p*	p*	p*
Q1. Virtual classes allow me to learn as much as in-person classes.	4 (1.7)	53 (22.4)	32 (13.5)	111 (46.8)	37 (15.6)	0.223	0.001*	0.316	0.533	0.137	0.183	0.104	0.516	0.527
Q2. Teachers provide feedback on tests and assignments.	4 (1.7)	46 (19.4)	33 (13.9)	122 (51.5)	32 (13.5)	0.201	0.004*	0.215	0.281	0.644	0.291	0.093	0.660	0.324
Q3. I am satisfied with the virtual platform(s) used in classes.	6 (2.5)	56 (23.6)	34 (14.3)	114 (48.1)	27 (11.4)	0.548	0.151	0.607	0.787	0.151	0.939	0.005*	0.193	0.322
Q4. I am satisfied with the virtual class schedule.	8 (3.4)	41 (17.3)	34 (14.3)	126 (53.2)	28 (11.8)	0.567	0.078	0.268	0.487	0.482	0.347	0.379	0.408	0.436
Q5. I think that combined classes (virtual/face-to-face) would allow me to learn better.	7 (3.0)	31 (13.1)	35 (14.8)	128 (54.0)	36 (15.2)	0.035*	0.422	0.900	0.385	0.467	0.725	0.134	0.533	0.250
Q6. I am satisfied with my practical or laboratory activities during the virtual classes.	5 (2.1)	42 (17.7)	33 (13.9)	131 (55.3)	26 (11.0)	0.116	0.073	0.023*	0.747	0.038*	0.892	0.060	0.282	0.466
Q7. I am satisfied with what I have learned in virtual classes and I am confident to apply it into practice with patients.	4 (1.7)	32 (13.5)	31 (13.1)	139 (58.6)	31 (13.1)	0.248	0.421	0.818	0.597	0.155	0.445	0.053	0.291	0.373
Q8. I am satisfied with the experience gained through virtual courses or training prior to the pandemic.	5 (2.1)	37 (15.6)	44 (18.6)	118 (49.8)	33 (13.9)	0.533	0.153	0.399	0.149	0.568	0.268	0.269	0.413	0.850
Q9. I am satisfied with the internet connection during the virtual classes.	18 (7.6)	52 (21.9)	32 (13.5)	111 (46.8)	24 (10.1)	0.009*	0.051	0.002*	0.044*	0.905	0.515	0.015*	0.259	0.278
Q10. The virtual classes allow me to broaden my theoretical knowledge.	7 (3.0)	26 (11.0)	29 (12.2)	141 (59.5)	34 (14.3)	0.215	0.721	0.061	0.272	0.041*	0.718	0.028*	0.291	0.163
Q11. The virtual classes allow me to obtain clinical and/or practical skills.	56 (23.6)	65 (27.4)	27 (11.4)	77 (32.5)	12 (5.1)	0.088	0.113	0.206	0.320	0.210	0.289	0.500	0.299	0.258
Q12. The professors’ response to my queries in the virtual environment was timely.	14 (5.9)	32 (13.5)	26 (11.0)	134 (56.5)	31 (13.1)	0.024*	0.892	0.019*	0.558	0.574	0.118	0.285	0.623	0.204
Q13. I am confident to take exams after taking online classes.	22 (9.3)	22 (9.3)	25 (10.5)	113 (47.7)	55 (23.2)	0.405	0.328	0.581	0.283	0.702	0.147	0.693	0.687	0.361

Notes: f: Absolute frequency; *Based on Pearson’s chi-square, (p<0.05, significant association).

Abbreviations: SD, Strongly disagree; D, Disagree; N, Neutral; A, agree and SA, Strongly agree.

Table 4 Multivariable Logistic Regression Model of Dental Students’ Satisfaction with Virtual Classes According to Their Sociodemographic Factors

Variable	Category	Crude Model					Adjusted Model
		β	OR	95% CI		p	β	AOR	95% CI		*p
				LL	UL				LL	UL
Age group	< 25 years	−0.49	0.61	0.20	1.86	0.388
	≥ 25 years		Ref.
Sex	Female	0.12	1.13	0.39	3.28	0.826
	Male		Ref.
Marital status	Single	0.06	1.06	0.32	3.49	0.921
	Married or cohabiting		Ref.
Monthly family income	< 500 US dollars	1.87	6.51	0.78	54.00	0.083	1.15	3.15	1.23	8.05	*0.016
	500 to 1000 US dollars	1.05	2.85	0.32	25.19	0.346
	> 1000 US dollars		Ref.				Ref.
Area of residence	Central urban	0.79	2.21	0.56	8.70	0.258
	Marginal urban		Ref.
Place of origin	Capital	−0.48	0.62	0.23	1.63	0.330
	Province		Ref.
Occupation	Studying	−0.28	0.75	0.23	2.48	0.641
	Studying and working		Ref.
Computer use	Personal	−0.42	0.66	0.24	1.81	0.417
	Shared		Ref.
Academic year of study	3rd year	0.55	1.73	0.63	4.75	0.288
	4th year	−1.06	0.35	0.07	1.75	0.200
	5th year		Ref.
Model constant		−3.62	0.03	0.002	0.41	0.009	−2.91	0.05	0.03	0.12	<0.001

Notes: *Logit model adjusted under the stepwise technique for all variables; *p<0.05 (significant association). The Pseudo R² of the model was 0.111. β: determination coefficient.

Abbreviations: OR, Odds ratio; AOR, Adjusted Odds ratio; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval.