[Comparative assessment of dentists' psychological health status in Shiraz with their physicians counterparts using general health questionnaire [GHQ-28]]

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to assess the psychological health status of dentists in Shiraz city. In this cross-sectional study, subjects consisted of 106 dentists and 94 general practitioners [comparison group] from private and public clinics in Shiraz city. Subjects were requested to complete the standard general health questionnaire and a questionnaire on demographic variables. The data were analyzed by appropriate statistical tests. Chi-Square test and independent sample t-test were used to compare demographic and occupational variables of both groups. The questionnaires were scored and the overall score of each individual determined his/her psychological health status. Means of GHQ scores of both groups were compared using statistical tests. Both groups were similar in all demographic variables, except for age. The mean total score of GHQ-28 for both dentists [17.9] and physicians [16.34] groups were significantly lower than the cut-off point value of 23 [P <0.01]. The means of scores for somatic problems, depression, anxiety and insomnia as well as unusual social performance scales were significantly different between both groups [P<0.05]. A significant positive association was found between GHQ total score and job tenure. Our findings revealed that psychological health status of dentists was poorer than that of physicians. Additionally, dentists' scores were significantly different from those of their counterparts in all GHQ sub-scales