Dental Students’ Perceptions of Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Adapting the Job Factors Questionnaire for Dentistry

Abstract

The aims of this study were to adapt the Job Factors Questionnaire to the field of dentistry, evaluate its psychometric properties, evaluate dental students' perceptions of work/study risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders, and determine the influence of gender and academic level on those perceptions. All 580 students enrolled in two Brazilian dental schools in 2015 were invited to participate in the study. A three-factor structure (Repetitiveness, Work Posture, and External Factors) was tested through confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent validity was estimated using the average variance extracted (AVE), discriminant validity was based on the correlational analysis of the factors, and reliability was assessed. A causal model was created using structural equation modeling to evaluate the influence of gender and academic level on students' perceptions. A total of 480 students completed the questionnaire for an 83% response rate. The responding students' average age was 21.6 years (SD=2.98), and 74.8% were women. Higher scores were observed on the Work Posture factor items. The refined model presented proper fit to the studied sample. Convergent validity was compromised only for External Factors (AVE=0.47), and discriminant validity was compromised for Work Posture and External Factors (r=0.69). Reliability was adequate. Academic level did not have a significant impact on the factors, but the women students exhibited greater perception. Overall, the adaptation resulted in a useful instrument for assessing perceptions of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. Gender was found to significantly influence all three factors, with women showing greater perception of the risk factors.

Preclinical dental training: Association between difficulty in performing restorative procedures and the adoption of ergonomic posture

“…4,12,13 Strategies should therefore be implemented in their academic programmes in an attempt to reduce this risk. [14][15][16][17] A strategy adopted years ago by the School of Dentistry of UNESP Araraquara is the requirement of a practical course on ergonomics in dentistry. 4,7 Despite these efforts, students were found to still have difficulty adopting the ergonomic posture taught in the ergonomics in dentistry course.…”

Teaching methodologies for improving dental students’ implementation of ergonomic operator and patient positioning

“…Presoto et al built further upon Garcia's 20 work at the same university assessing dental students' knowledge of work related risk factors for developing MSDs. 21 The author recognized the importance of awareness of risk factors in influencing the individual to preemptively practice ergonomics. The author explains that, "such assessments may provide insight into the adequacy of the training process to protect dentists' occupational health."…”

“…The author explains that, "such assessments may provide insight into the adequacy of the training process to protect dentists' occupational health." 21 Presoto found that women had a higher academic level of awareness of risk factors and suggested this may be due to a higher incidence of pain among women. The author referred to a study completed by Hofftman et al…”

Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in dental students and associated factors

“…Musculoskeletal disorders are common morbidities in dental practice and are characterized by persistent pain and/or discomfort in the musculoskeletal system, including joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and structures that support the limbs; these disorders may present as inflammatory or degenerative conditions that occur either alone or by cumulative trauma, causing painful symptomatology in different parts of the body [1][2][3][4][5] . In addition to pain, they include complaints such as tingling, numbness, weight, and early fatigue; thus, these diseases contribute to the inability of the professional from his job, and even their withdrawal from the position 6 .…”