Demand and control in human service work in relation to self-rated oral health.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between oral health and job demands (emotional and quantitative), job control (skill discretion and decision authority), and social support, in a human service work context.


METHODS
In April 1997, a questionnaire with items about work conditions and oral health was sent to a sample of employees in the social insurance organisation in Sweden. Response rate was 76% (n = 3,173).


METHODS
The questionnaire contained four questions related to oral health.


RESULTS
Emotional demands showed a negative relation to oral health, while there was no relation between quantitative demands, skill discretion, decision authority or social support and oral health. Psychosocial climate, an aspect of support, was significantly related to oral health. The results were controlled in separate models for the index components, with minor changes in the overall picture.


CONCLUSIONS
Work related stress situations can be hazardous for oral as well as other aspects of health. In the context of human services, attention should be directed towards emotional as well as other demands.
Söderfeldt
Marie
M
National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. mso@ami.dk
Axtelius
Björn
B
Söderfeldt
Bjom
B
Unell
Lennart
L
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011361:Professional Competence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012944:Social Support; D012947:Social Work; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016526:Workload