Evaluation of burnout and stress perception levels of Turkish dental laboratory technicians according to affecting factors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused healthcare professionals to face unequal acute workplace stress and burnout. This study aimed to analyze the potential impact of COVID-19 on the burnout and associated emotional stress conditions of Turkish dental technicians. Methods A 20-question demographic scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Sense of Coherence-13 (SoC-13), and Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) were used to obtain data. A total of 152 participants answered these surveys directly and reported their stress burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Of all participants who agreed to participate in the survey, 39.5% were females and 60.5% were males. Regardless of demographic variables, the MBI-total (37.2 ± 11.71), SoC-13 total (53.81 ± 10.29), and PSS-10 total (21.25 ± 5.5) scores indicated moderate burnout, SoC, and perceived stress levels. According to sub-scores of the MBI; mean emotional exhaustion and depersonalization indicate low-level burnout, and mean personal accomplishment indicates moderate burnout. Long working hours increase burnout. No significant differences were observed according to demographic variables, except for work experience. A positive correlation was found between perceived stress and burnout. Conclusions The findings showed that dental technicians working during the COVID-19 pandemic are influenced by emotional stress due to the outcomes of the pandemic. One reason for this situation might be the long working hours. Working arrangements, under-controlled disease risk factors, and lifestyle changes may improve stress levels. Key Messages COVID-19 outbreak exposed psychological returns to the general population, and especially to healthcare workers. Questionnaire method was applied to evaluate the burnout and stress levels among dental laboratory technicians during COVID-19 outbreak. Moderate levels of burnout and stress perception were detected. Long working time was one of the effective factors.