ObjectiveSexual harassment is unlawful in all work and educational environments in most
nations of the world. The goals of this study were to describe the sexual
harassment prevalence and to evaluate the experiences and attitudes of
undergraduate students in one dental school in Brazil.Material and MethodsAn 18-item questionnaire was administered to 254 dental students with a completion
rate of 82% (208). Students were requested to respond to questions about their
background and academic level in dental school, their personal experiences with
sexual harassment and their observation of someone else being sexually harassed.
Bivariate statistical analyses were performed.ResultsFifteen percent of the students reported being sexually harassed by a patient, by
a relative of a patient or by a professor. Male students had 3 times higher
probability of being sexually harassed than female student [OR=2.910
(1.113-7.611)]. Additionally, 25.4% of the students reported witnessing
sexual harassment at the school environment. The majority of students did not feel
professionally prepared to respond to unwanted sexual behaviors.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that sexual harassment can occur in a dental school
setting. There is a need for ongoing sexual harassment education programs for
students and university staff. Increased knowledge of sexual harassment during
graduation can better prepare dental professionals to respond to sexual harassment
during their practice.
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