Citation

Patel P, Smallidge DL, Boyd LD, Vineyard J. J. Dent. Hyg. 2021; 95(4): 14-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Dental Hygienists Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

PURPOSE: Workplace violence (WPV) and inappropriate patient sexual behavior (IPSB) have become increasingly prevalent in the United States. Previous research has shown health care professionals are at a 16-times higher risk of experiencing WPV and IPSB than other occupations, however, there is a lack of research in the field of dental hygiene. The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of dental hygienists with IPSB in the workplace.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a purposive sample of clinical dental hygienists recruited through social media sites (n=471). The validated survey was comprised of demographic and IPSB-related questions, with one open-ended question to expand on experiences with IPSB. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, t-tests and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: The survey completion rate was 49% (n=232). Career occurrence of IPSB was 85.8% and occurrence within the last 12-month period was 63.5% among the respondents. Participants who experienced all three categories of IPSB severity had the lowest median number of years in clinical practice (Md.=5.0) as compared to those who reported two categories (Md.=7) and those with only one category (Md.=10), p=0.01. Themes from the open-ended questions included types of patient perpetrating IPSB; type of IPSB behavior; and approaches to management of the IPSB.

CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of IPSB events among dental hygienists in this study warrants increased practitioner education, improved workplace policy and support for management of IPSB.

Language: en

Keywords

workplace violence; sexual harassment; dental hygienists; inappropriate sexual behavior; professional-patient relations