STRAIN SYMPTOMS AND WORK ABILITY,A CHALLENGE FOR THE PUBLIC DENTAL HEALTH SERVICE

Abstract

The Public Dental Health Service (PDHS) in Sweden is challenged by increasing sickness rates, difficulties in recruitment and an expectedly high staff turnover.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe and compare self-rated health and strain symptoms for different work areas and occupational groups within the PDHS and to investigate possible associations between strain symptoms, affective commitment to the workplace and self-rated ability to work.

Methods: In 2014- 2015, an online questionnaire based on scales and items from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was sent to convenience samples of all PDHS staff in four regions of Sweden resulting in a response rate of 75% (1345/1782). Self-rated health (one item), work-related stress, burnout symptoms, sleeping problems (four items each) and affective commitment (two items) were assessed by Likert-type scales transformed to scores from zero to 100. The scale used for scoring the ability to work was 0-10. ANOVA, exploratory cluster analyses and correlation analyses were used.

Results: Employees within general practice reported lower self-rated health (61.1 vs. 65.0 and 65.5; p=0.009) and higher strain symptoms [work-related stress] (36.2 vs. 28.2 and 30.8; p<0.001), burnout symptoms (39.8 vs. 32.6 and 32.5; p<0.001) and sleeping problems (31.8 vs. 25.3 and 28.2; p=0.001)] than employees in specialised dentistry or other work areas. The most affected occupational groups were the dentists and clinicians without managerial responsibilities. Higher strain symptoms were clearly associated with negative affective commitment (r=-0.478; -0.504 and -0.385) and lower self-rated ability to work(r=-0.408; -0.434 and -0.379).

Conclusions: The results of this study support previous research on employees of the Swedish PDHS. Strain symptoms differ according to work area and occupation. In particular, non-managerial dentists from general practice, have a stressful work environment. It is important to know the extent and pattern of strain symptoms and their relationships with self-rated ability to work and resulting commitment to the workplace when planning sustainable future dental services.