A national cross-sectional survey of dental anxiety in the French adult population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dental anxiety is a public health problem but no epidemiological study has been undertaken in France to evaluate its prevalence. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence, severity and associations of dental anxiety in a sample of the French adult population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A convenience sample of 2725 adults (mean age = 47 years, SD16, minimum = 16, maximum = 101 years), representative of the French population with regard to age and urban distribution, completed a French version of the Corah Dental Anxiety scale (DAS) and a questionnaire relating to their dental appointments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Moderate dental anxiety (14≥DAS≥13) was revealed for 172 persons (6.2%), while 195 (7.3%) had severe dental anxiety (DAS≥15), giving an overall prevalence of dental anxiety of 13.5%. Prevalence was lower proportionally with age (P < 0.001) and was higher in French overseas territories and in the countryside (P < 0.01). Farmers and low skilled workers were significantly more anxious than executives and shopkeepers (P < 0.001). Anxiety was associated with avoidance of care (p < 0.001) and lack of regular dental appointments (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Dental anxiety in France appears to concern a similar proportion of the population as in other industrialised European, Australasian or North American countries. Recommendations for prevention and management of dental anxiety are made with reference to dental education and health care services in France.</p

Between democracy and nationality: Citizenship policies in the Lisbon ruling

When the German constitutional court expressed itself in the Lisbon ruling, on the 30 June 2009, the famous German newspaper Der Bild published the corrosive headline 'the end of federalism'. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the arguments of the Court concerning (1) the nature of the EU as a confederation (Staatenverbund), (2) the illegitimacy of further development towards a federal state (Staatsverband) and (3) the determination of the EU's 'core competences', in order to shed light on why, within the EU, the relationship between federalism and democracy appears to be so tense. The point is that the claim that the EU cannot legitimately become a federation without calling for the constituent power of the German people (section 228) is grounded in a circular logic that ultimately depends on the definition of citizenry adopted. Two connected issues will thus be deepened. On one hand, we look at the problem of jurisdictional competence attribution, the 'ultra vires' and 'domaine réservé' doctrines. In particular, the adoption of criteria for determining the state's core competences on the basis of the principle of essentiality (Wesentlichkeitstheorie) will be assessed. On the other hand, the focus is on the theory of democracy that the German constitutional court embraces, according to which 'the democratic legitimacy derives from the interconnection between the action of European governmental entities and the parliaments of the Member States'

Between democracy and nationality: Citizenship policies in the Lisbon ruling

When the German constitutional court expressed itself in the Lisbon ruling, on the 30 June 2009, the famous German newspaper Der Bild published the corrosive headline 'the end of federalism'. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the arguments of the Court concerning (1) the nature of the EU as a confederation (Staatenverbund), (2) the illegitimacy of further development towards a federal state (Staatsverband) and (3) the determination of the EU's 'core competences', in order to shed light on why, within the EU, the relationship between federalism and democracy appears to be so tense. The point is that the claim that the EU cannot legitimately become a federation without calling for the constituent power of the German people (section 228) is grounded in a circular logic that ultimately depends on the definition of citizenry adopted. Two connected issues will thus be deepened. On one hand, we look at the problem of jurisdictional competence attribution, the 'ultra vires' and 'domaine réservé' doctrines. In particular, the adoption of criteria for determining the state's core competences on the basis of the principle of essentiality (Wesentlichkeitstheorie) will be assessed. On the other hand, the focus is on the theory of democracy that the German constitutional court embraces, according to which 'the democratic legitimacy derives from the interconnection between the action of European governmental entities and the parliaments of the Member States'