Author: Perez-Padron M, Bernabé E, Gomez-Santos G, Tsakos G, Lozano de Luacess V.
Affiliation: NHS Islington, UK. manuel.perez-padron@islingtonpct.nhs.uk
Conference/Journal: Int Dent J
Date published: 2010 Dec
Other:
Volume ID: 60 , Issue ID: 6 , Pages: 395-8 , Word Count: 197
OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between psychological distress and physical somatic symptoms as well as work environment conditions in the diverse population of dentists based in the Canary Islands (Spain).
METHODS: 203 dentists officially registered with the local General Dental Councils, returned the questionnaire delivered by mail. Participants provided information on demographic characteristics, self-constructed questions like self-perceived environmental working conditions (location, access, temperature, humidity and pollution). They also completed the Spanish versions of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the revised version of the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R). The GHQ-12 was used to assess psychological distress and the somatic physical symptoms were assessed with the 12-item somatic subscale extracted from the SCL-90-R. Three different linear regression models were constructed.
RESULTS: Psychological distress was positively related to somatic symptoms in all the models even after adjusting for sex and age. This association also remained significant for self-perceived environmental working conditions in the two final models. 23% of the dentists had psychological distress. The mean score for the SCL-90-R somatic subscale was 0.55 points (Standard Deviation: 0.50).
CONCLUSIONS: Self-perceived environmental working conditions were also associated with the strong relationship found between psychological distress and physical somatic symptoms among dentists.
PMID: 21302737