Work stress and neck shoulder back pain among dental personnel of government hospitals, Khon Kaen province

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to study work stress and prevalence of neck, shoulder and back pain in the different work positions of dental personnel. Subjects were 282 dental personnel of government hospitals in Khon Kaen province. Data were collected by a questionnaire and a 5-dimension work stress test including the patients, working environment, the health system reform, work characteristics and the time pressure. The results showed that the prevalence of neck, shoulder and back pain considering from moderate severity and high frequency of occurrence of pain was 47.9% (95% CI: 41.91-53.88) in 1-month period. Dentists and dental nurses, (48.2%) dentist and patient assistant (47.2%) had neck, shoulder and back pain. For work stress, of dental personnel, the dimension of working environment was the highest (58.2%), followed by the patients (53.5%). When work stress was listed in items, it was found that the top three of dental personnel’s work stress items were; dental service unsatisfication, followed by high risk from infection during service and on risk from working with damaged equipment. In conclusion, government hospitals should set up health promoting activities, work safety policy. In addition, those setting programs should be proceeding along the surveillance program of neck, shoulder, and back pain among dental nurses and dentist assistants.