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Prevention of study-related stress symptoms: health-promoting behavior among dental students

Bewältigung von psychomentalen Belastungen im Studium: Coping-Verhalten unter Zahnmedizinstudenten

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Summary

Background

Training to become a dentist is one of the most demanding professional education experiences. There are very few studies on strategies and activities to cope with study-related stress during dental training. We therefore evaluated the prevalence of burnout symptoms and coping activities among dental students.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was performed analyzing a sample of 239 dental students from Germany. Students were asked to complete a survey containing questions about burnout symptoms and coping behavior.

Results

A total of 38 % of the dental students perceived symptoms of emotional exhaustion; 17 % reported symptoms of personal accomplishment and 11 % perceived scores of depersonalization. Students reported on coping activities, ranging from health-promoting techniques, such as exercising, to less recommendable health harming relaxation strategies, such as taking drugs.

Conclusion

Our results indicate the need for relevant health promotion and may aid decision makers in developing health promotion programs.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Das Studium der Zahnmedizin ist durch hohe Anforderungen gekennzeichnet und stellt eines der herausforderndsten universitären Ausbildungswege dar. Es werden häufig psychosoziale Probleme während des Studiums berichtet. Bewältigungsmöglichkeiten im Umgang mit Studienherausforderungen werden in der Ausbildung bislang nur unzureichend vermittelt.

Die vorliegende Studie soll einen aktuellen Einblick in die Prävalenz psychischer Probleme (in Form der Burnout Symptomatik) unter Studierenden geben. Ebenso soll ein Überblick vermittelt werden, wie Studenten mit den Herausforderungen im Studium umgehen, bzw. welche Bewältigungsstrategien eingesetzt werden.

Methodik

Eine querschnittliche Fragebogenerhebung wurde durchgeführt, die 239 Studenten der Zahnmedizin einbezog. Die Studenten wurden gebeten, einen Online-Fragebogen auszufüllen, der aus dem Maslach Burnout Inventory sowie Angaben zu individuellen Stressbewältigungsstragien bestand.

Ergebnisse

Die subjektive Einschätzung psychischer Probleme zeigt eine mittlere Ausprägung. Bewältigungsstrategien rangieren im Bereich gesundheitsförderlicher Maßnahmen (z. B. Ausgleich durch Sport) bis zu potenziell gesundheitsschädlichen Strategien (z. B. Drogenkonsum).

Schlußfolgerung

Ein umfassender Einsatz von Auf­klärungs- und Gesundheitsförderungsprogrammen wäh­rend des Zahnmedizinstudiums ist zwingend erforderlich.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Seewartenstraße 10, Haus 1, 20459, Hamburg, Germany

    Stefanie Mache PhD, MSc, MHA

  2. Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt a. M, Germany

    Stefanie Mache PhD, MSc, MHA &  David A. Groneberg MD

  3. Institute of Occupational Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Free University and Humboldt University, Thielallee 69–73, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Karin Vitzthum PhD, MSc

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  1. Stefanie Mache PhD, MSc, MHA
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  2. Karin Vitzthum PhD, MSc
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  3. David A. Groneberg MD
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Correspondence to Stefanie Mache PhD, MSc, MHA.

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Mache, S., Vitzthum, K. & Groneberg, D. Prevention of study-related stress symptoms: health-promoting behavior among dental students. Wien Med Wochenschr 165, 100–106 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-014-0341-6

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