Oral health workers are also burned out

Newswise — ALBANY, NY (October 12, 2023) — Burnout is a widespread problem for the health workforce, linked to employee turnover, absenteeism and depression. Burnout has also been shown to increase the risk of medical errors and raise concerns about patient safety.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased burnout problems for healthcare workers, especially those providing patient care. For the oral health workforce in particular, the possibility of infection with COVID-19 was considered high due to potential contact with respiratory and spray aerosols during dental procedures.

A recent report from the Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) at the University at Albany Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) in the School of Public Health explored the prevalence and effects of burnout and stress among the health workforce. oral in the safety net. dental organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers worked with the Health Choice Network to analyze its 2021 online survey of physicians working at 25 community health centers across the US.

The survey showed that oral health providers reported high levels of burnout, at rates similar to other medical providers involved in patient care. Of the oral health providers surveyed, 79.3% reported burns; this compares to 80.1% of primary care providers surveyed and 76.2% of mental/behavioral health providers.

OHWRC researchers also conducted key informant interviews with individuals in various positions in dental safety organizations across the US in 2022. The objectives of the interviews were to gather information about the impact of stressors related to COVID-19 on staff stress. dental and anxiety levels and to determine whether burnout and stress affected employee recruitment and retention.

At the organizational level, the stressors reported were primarily related to obtaining sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), changing clinical protocols, reassigning clinicians to nontraditional roles, and workforce shortages. The most common individual-level stressors were related to childcare, mostly for single parents, with women disproportionately affected. Lack of childcare was among the main reasons assistants and hygienists chose to leave their jobs.

“It’s not just important to be aware of burnout, but to understand the reasons why healthcare workers are experiencing it,” says CHWS Director Jean Moore. “Once specific stressors are identified, then strategies can be implemented to address them at the organizational and personal level to reduce burnout for these providers.”

To address these stressors, organizations implemented various strategies to support work-life balance among their staff, including more vacation time, additional pay, more time off for staff, and increased work schedule flexibility for the parents.

View the full report on the CHWS website.

For more information about the Oral Health Workforce Research Center, visit www.oralhealthworkforce.org.

This work was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a $450,000 award. The content is that of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of, or an endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the US Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

About the Center for Health Workforce Studies:

Founded in 1996, CHWS is an academic research organization based in the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY). The mission of CHWS is to provide timely, accurate data and conduct relevant policy research on the health workforce. Research conducted by CHWS supports and promotes health workforce planning and policymaking at the local, regional, state, and national levels. Today, CHWS is a national leader in the field of health workforce studies and the only HRSA-sponsored center with a unique focus on the oral health workforce.

About the University at Albany:

The University at Albany is one of the nation’s most diverse public research institutions and a national leader in educational equity and social mobility. As a Carnegie-classified R1 institution, UAlbany and its faculty and students are creating critical new knowledge in fields such as artificial intelligence, atmospheric and environmental sciences, business, education, public health, social sciences, criminal justice, emergency preparedness , engineering, informatics. , public administration and social welfare. Our courses are taught by a full roster of faculty experts with student success at the heart of everything we do. Through our parallel commitments to academic excellence, scientific discovery and community service, UAlbany forms bright, curious and engaged leaders and launches brilliant careers.

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