Factors Related to Job Stress among Thai Dentists

Objectives: Job stress has an impact on service quality and turnover intention of human resources for oral health. The aims of this study were to assess job stress among Thai dentists and to identify related factors. Methods: A mailed survey was conducted on a systematic random sample of 2,723 Thai dentists, 733 of which returned completed questionnaires. Job stress was assessed by the Job Stress Inventory (JSI) consisted of 5 subdomains: patient-related, job condition, health system reform, job characteristic, and time pressure. Results: Results showed that 31.7% of dentists demonstrated moderate to high level of job stress. Multiple regression models of overall JSI and its subdomains identified 6 factors: perceived busyness (+), turnover intention (+), job satisfaction (-), being private practitioners (+, -), number of hours worked per week (+) and income (-). Conclusion: Job stress appears as a complex phenomenon within a pluralistic health system. Public and private dentists demonstrate different sets of job stressors. Research funded by the Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University.