ORIGINAL PAPER
Dental environmental stress during the COVID‑19 pandemic at the Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
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1
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
(Institute of Dentistry, Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics)
2
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
(Institute of Dentistry, Department of Prosthodontics)
Online publication date: 2021-03-17
Corresponding author
Elżbieta Zarzecka-Francica
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Institute of Dentistry, Department of Prosthodontics, Montelupich 4,
31-155 Kraków, Poland
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(2):211-22
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The burden of stress experienced by dentistry students has been the subject of numerous studies aimed at defining the strongest stressors,
and at reducing their intensity to improve the conditions and, consequently, the quality of education. Such studies have never been performed in
the conditions of a pandemic caused by a new, unknown coronavirus. Therefore, the objective of the study was to identify the sources of their stress
in the course of the studies, with reference to the COVID‑19 pandemic. Material and Methods: A total of 334 dentistry students of the Institute of
Dentistry at the Jagiellonian University Medical College were invited to take part in the study. They represented a range from the first to the fifth year
of studies in the 2019/2020 academic year. The tool employed in the study was the Dental Environmental Stress (DES) questionnaire and 11 supplementary
questions related to the pandemic. The study was carried out on June 1–25, 2020. Results: The participation rate was 72%. Academic work
presented the highest level of stress. A comparison of the overall levels of stress in particular domains as well as questions included in the DES survey
revealed significant differences between students of individual years of studies in the 2019/2020 academic year. The strongest positive relationships
between the supplementary questions and the DES domains appeared in the area of clinical factors. These concerned returning to clinical classes and
contact with patients with regard to SARS-CoV-2 (rs = 0.50, p < 0.001), contact with patients in connection with SARS-CoV-2 (rs = 0.47, p < 0.001),
and a lack of practical classes with patients in connection with the COVID‑19 pandemic (rs = 0.42, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Dentistry students were
subjected to stress resulting from a conflict between the perceived risk of returning to clinical classes and contact with patients due to SARS-CoV-2,
and disruptions in the course of clinical education, which they perceived negatively. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(2):211–22