Table 3 Motive scale percentage distribution and mean for the final year dental students (n = 179) according to their four top-ranked motive to study dentistry and their background factors
Motives | All (N = 179) | Sex | Age | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men (N = 106) | Women (N = 73) | P | < 27 yrs (n = 77) | 27-29 yrs (n = 57) | > 29 years (n = 45) | P | ||||||||||
% | Mean (SD) | % | Mean (SD) | % | Mean (SD) | % | Mean | % | Mean (SD) | % | Mean (SD) | % | Mean (SD) | % | Mean | |
Characteristics of the profession | 47.5 | 2.26 (1.72) | 49.1 | 2.3 (1.78) | 45.2 | 2.16 (1.63) | 0.61 | 0.53 | 45.5 | 2.11 (1.78) | 47.4 | 2.30 (1.65) | 51.1 | 2.84 (1.71) | 0.83 | 0.50 |
Altruism and intellectual challenges | 45.3 | 2.31 (1.64) | 50.0 | 2.43 (1.67) | 38.4 | 2.12 (1.58) | 0.12 | 0.21 | 36.4 | 2.09 (1.62) | 47.4 | 2.32 (1.64) | 57.8 | 2.67 (1.65) | 0.07 | 0.17 |
Existence of artistic theme in dentistry | 41.3 | 1.97 (1.90) | 39.6 | 2.02 (2.00) | 43.8 | 1.90 (1.77) | 0.57 | 0.66 | 42.9 | 1.92 (1.87) | 36.8 | 1.49 (1.70) | 44.4 | 2.64 (2.05) | 0.70 | 0.01 |
Parents’ recommendation | 40.7 | 1.60 (1.74) | 49.1 | 1.52 (1.66) | 50.7 | 1.73 (1.84) | 0.83 | 0.43 | 50.7 | 1.65 (1.75) | 38.6 | 1.51 (1.72) | 62.2 | 1.64 (1.76) | 0.06 | 0.88 |