Professional quality of life among Norwegian oral health professionals working with torture and abuse survivors and patients with severe dental anxiety
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2340/aos.v85.45422Keywords:
Oral health professionals, professional quality of life, burnout, secondary trauma, occupational well-beingAbstract
Objective: To investigate the level of burnout (BO), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and compassion satisfaction (CS) among Norwegian oral health professionals who work with traumatized and vulnerable patients.
Material and methods: Professional Quality of Life-5 was used to assess BO, STS, and CS. Organizational and psychosocial work factors were measured with the Nordic Questionnaire for Psychological and Social Factors at Work.
Results: Participants (n = 114) reported moderate levels across all three dimensions, with 62.6% scoring in the moderate range for STS, 47.4% for BO, and 38.6% for CS. Poor work-life balance was associated with lower levels of CS and higher levels of STS and BO. Support was associated with positive outcomes of BO, STS, and CS.
Conclusions: Psychosocial factors within the work environment contribute more to occupational strain than the direct challenges of working with traumatized or vulnerable patients. Involving oral health professionals in wider conversations about supporting those who care for vulnerable populations is paramount. Addressing organizational conditions alongside individual support is important to promote well-being.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Hayley Manalang Ko, Ingrid Volden Klepaker, Lubomiła Korzeniewska, Marte-Mari Uhlen-Strand
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Acta Odontologica Scandinavica publishes original research papers as well as critical reviews relevant to the diagnosis, epidemiology, health service, prevention, aetiology, pathogenesis, pathology, physiology, microbiology, development and treatment of diseases affecting tissues of the oral cavity and associated structures including papers on cause and effect or explanatory/associative relationships for experimental or observational studies.
