TY - JOUR
T1 - Work environment of dental hygienists
AU - Yee, Theodore
AU - Crawford, Lori
AU - Harber, Philip
PY - 2005/6
Y1 - 2005/6
N2 - Objective: We sought to evaluate how musculoskeletal disorders and workplace psychosocial factors affect dental hygienists' work hours and productivity. Methods: We mailed a survey to dental hygienists in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California. Results: Musculoskeletal pain caused 27% of hygienists to decrease work hours and 8.7% to change office locations. Hand/wrist pain caused the most missed workdays. Conversely, conflicts with the dentist caused 28.2% of dental hygienists to change jobs and 12.7% to decrease work hours. Conflicts with staff caused 17.1% to change office locations but only 7.0% to decrease work hours. This pattern was confirmed with multiple logistic regression analyses. Conclusions: Musculoskeletal and psychosocial factors affect dental hygienists differently: musculoskeletal discomfort is more likely to cause dental hygienists to decrease their working hours, whereas professional and social conflicts are more likely to lead to change in work location.
AB - Objective: We sought to evaluate how musculoskeletal disorders and workplace psychosocial factors affect dental hygienists' work hours and productivity. Methods: We mailed a survey to dental hygienists in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California. Results: Musculoskeletal pain caused 27% of hygienists to decrease work hours and 8.7% to change office locations. Hand/wrist pain caused the most missed workdays. Conversely, conflicts with the dentist caused 28.2% of dental hygienists to change jobs and 12.7% to decrease work hours. Conflicts with staff caused 17.1% to change office locations but only 7.0% to decrease work hours. This pattern was confirmed with multiple logistic regression analyses. Conclusions: Musculoskeletal and psychosocial factors affect dental hygienists differently: musculoskeletal discomfort is more likely to cause dental hygienists to decrease their working hours, whereas professional and social conflicts are more likely to lead to change in work location.
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U2 - 10.1097/01.jom.0000165745.89527.7e
DO - 10.1097/01.jom.0000165745.89527.7e
M3 - Review article
C2 - 15951723
AN - SCOPUS:20544444120
VL - 47
SP - 633
EP - 639
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
SN - 1076-2752
IS - 6
ER -