Burnout assessment among academic dental staff during COVID-19: Data from Arab countries.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify factors that were associated with high burnout and investigate the prevalence of burnout among academic dental staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among academic dentists who are working in multiple dental schools in Arab countries. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory was used to assess participants' work-related burnout. Logistic regression was used to assess the factors that increase the risk of burnout among academic dentists. RESULTS: Of the 254 participants who took part in the study, 141 were males (55.5%). The average age of the participants in the study was 42.1 years (standard deviation = 10.0). The prevalence of burnout among participants was 44.9% (n = 114). Using a fully adjusted logistic regression model, age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.09, p = 0.008) and gender (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.31-0.94, p = 0.03) were significant variables associated with high overall burnout. Female individuals had a substantially reduced risk of experiencing high personal burnout than male participants (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-0.98, p = 0.043) in the personal burnout subdomain. While in the patient's burnout subdomain, age (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.08, p = 0.048), type of speciality (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.02-5.83, p = 0.044), and teaching place (OR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.21-5.11, p = 0.013) were associated with higher burnout. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that gender and age are characteristics that increase the risk of higher burnout among academic dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Psychological Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptomatology Among Dental Healthcare Workers in Russia: Results of a Pilot Study.

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection has increased the risk of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), and healthcare workers (HCWs) are at greater risk than other occupational groups. This observational cross-sectional study aimed to explore the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD among dental HCWs in Russia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The survey was carried out among 128 dental HCWs from three dental clinics of Ekaterinburg, Russia. The mean age of the sample was 38.6 years. Depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21); PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Symptom Scale-Self-Report (PSS-SR); subjective distress was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). The results indicated that 20.3-24.2% HCWs had mild to extremely severe symptoms of psychological distress, and 7.1-29.7% had clinical symptoms of PTSD. No differences between females and males were revealed. HCWs working directly with patients had significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms and the risk of PTSD development compared to those working indirectly, whereas older HCWs had significantly higher levels of both psychological distress and PTSD symptoms compared to younger HCWs. Thus, dental HCWs are at high risk for psychological distress and PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anxiety among dental professionals and its association with their dependency on social media for health information: insights from the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Social media can play a detrimental role during a global health emergency. In this study, we aimed at assessing the impact social media has on the anxiety level of dental healthcare workers (DHCWs) whilst living through the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online questionnaire was disseminated to a cross-sectional sample of DHCWs from 19 countries using social media platforms. The questionnaire enquired about DHCWs' frequency of using social media and their dependency on health-related information posted on those platforms. Anxiety was measured using General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). RESULTS: Four-hundred and three (403) DHCWs completed the online questionnaire. Sixty-eight percent (68%) frequently use social media for information on COVID-19. The frequency of social media use was higher among younger DHCWs, with shorter clinical experience, and holders of undergraduate qualifications (p = 0.009, p = 0.002, and p = 0.023, respectively). Almost one third of DHCWs had moderate to severe anxiety (31.7%), which was significantly associated with the frequency of social media use (p = 0.016). This association was adjusted for age, years of experience and qualification level (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.05-2.93; p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 social media infodemic has been adversely impacting the psychological wellbeing of DHCWs. More effective measures are needed to control the quality and spreadability of health information on social media platforms.

Analysis of anxiety-related factors amongst frontline dental staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Yichang, China.

BACKGROUND: Dental staff were characterized with the tolerance of enduring stress and they are at a high risk to respiratory infectious disease. This study compared the anxiety level of the frontline dental staff (FDS) to the general public in Yichang during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and examined potential explanatory factors to the differences. METHODS: Two online questionnaires were used separately to collect data from FDS and the general public. The Chinese version of Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was included for the assessment of anxiety. Firstly, a Chi-square test was conducted to compare the anxiety state between these two groups. Then, a bivariate analysis using Cramer's V and Eta squared was conducted to find the potential factors. Lastly, a binary logistic regression was performed to examine the association between potential factors and the anxiety state of FDS. RESULTS: In general, FDS were 4.342 (95% CI: 2.427-7.768) times more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders than the general public. The bivariate analysis showed that age, Level Three Protective Measures (PM-3), conflicts with patients and/or colleagues were moderately associated with the anxiety state of FDS. But the knowledge of COVID-19, the treatment to suspected or confirmed cases both had a weak association with the anxiety among FDS. Conversely, workload, the exposure to potential infectious substance and conducting aerosol generated performance were not significantly related to the anxiety of FDS. As the model indicated, an elder age and PM-3 protective measures could lower the anxiety state of FDS, whereas the conflict with patients or/and colleagues would worsen it. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, FDS were more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders than the general public. An elder age, sufficient personal protective measures and good relationships with colleagues and patients would help them to maintain good mental health.