Department of Dental Hygiene, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA.
Department of Physical Therapy, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA.
Int J Dent Hyg. 2024 May;22(2):313-320. doi: 10.1111/idh.12752. Epub 2023 Sep 18.
To identify circumstances that influenced dental hygiene clinical faculty's likelihood of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore attitudes (responsibilities, personal issues, ethics, and policy statements) about working.
This cross-sectional study used a purposive sample of dental hygienists (n = 1710) employed in academic clinical settings that held full-time, part-time, or adjunct appointments. The Health Care Workers' Attitudes to Working During a Pandemic survey was utilized. Likelihood scores were calculated based on respondents more or less likely to work under differing circumstances. Frequencies of agreement for attitudes were developed. Correlations were explored between likelihood scores and demographic data. Answers to the open-ended questions were categorized and described.
The response rate was 13.5% (225/1710). Only one-third of respondents had a likelihood score of 100%. Factors with the greatest impact on likelihood to work were personal protective equipment. Almost all respondents' attitudes of working indicated that their employer is responsible for providing PPE. Over 90% felt their main responsibility was to themselves/family. Correlation analyses resulted in no significant associations between likelihood scores and age, etc. Faculty are considering leaving their jobs because of pay cuts and/or not feeling safe.
Likelihood of working for dental hygiene faculty represents several personal and ethical decisions. Most respondents want employers to be responsible for their on-the-job safety. In addition, personal and work-related issues were causes of unease. The pandemic has had far-reaching implications on day-to-day work of dental hygiene clinical faculty as well as on the long-term trajectories and views on employment in higher education.
确定影响牙科卫生临床教师在 COVID-19 大流行期间工作可能性的情况，并探讨对工作的态度（责任、个人问题、道德和政策声明）。
本横断面研究使用了在学术临床环境中工作的牙科保健员（n=1710）的目的抽样，他们拥有全职、兼职或兼职职位。使用了卫生保健工作者在大流行期间工作的态度调查。根据在不同情况下工作的可能性，计算了可能性得分。制定了对态度的同意频率。探讨了可能性得分与人口统计学数据之间的相关性。对开放式问题的回答进行了分类和描述。
回复率为 13.5%（225/1710）。只有三分之一的受访者的可能性得分为 100%。对工作可能性影响最大的因素是个人防护设备。几乎所有受访者的工作态度都表明，雇主有责任提供 PPE。超过 90%的人认为自己的主要责任是对自己/家人负责。相关分析结果表明，可能性得分与年龄等无显著相关性。教师因减薪和/或感到不安全而考虑离职。
牙科卫生教师工作的可能性代表了一些个人和道德决策。大多数受访者希望雇主对其工作安全负责。此外，个人和工作相关问题引起了不安。大流行对牙科卫生临床教师的日常工作以及对高等教育就业的长期轨迹和观点产生了深远的影响。
