Correlational Study on the Relationship between Occupational Stress of Clinicians and Diagnostic and Treatment Quality in Complex Root Canal Therapy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmhs.202505310
Author(s)
Jie Lai*
Affiliation(s)
Department of Stomatology, The Eighth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
*Corresponding Author
Abstract
This study aims to explore the correlation between occupational stress of clinicians and the diagnostic and treatment quality in complex root canal therapy, clarify the key stressors affecting the diagnostic and treatment quality, and provide theoretical basis for formulating targeted stress intervention strategies to improve the quality of complex root canal therapy. A cross-sectional survey method was adopted, and clinicians engaged in complex root canal therapy in tertiary hospitals, secondary hospitals and primary medical institutions in different regions were selected as the research objects. The sample size was determined by sample size calculation formula combined with the actual situation. The standardized Occupational Stress Scale for Medical Staff, the Self-designed Complex Root Canal Therapy Quality Evaluation Scale (including indicators such as root canal obturation density, treatment success rate, and complication rate) were used, and clinical data were collected through questionnaire distribution and medical record review. Before formal data collection, reliability and validity tests were conducted on the scales, with Cronbach's α coefficient of the Occupational Stress Scale being 0.87 and that of the Quality Evaluation Scale being 0.82, meeting the requirements of academic research. A total of 520 questionnaires were distributed, and 486 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 93.46%. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 software, including descriptive statistics (to describe the general situation of clinicians' occupational stress and diagnostic and treatment quality), Pearson correlation analysis (to explore the correlation between occupational stress and diagnostic and treatment quality), and multiple linear regression analysis (to identify the key stressors affecting diagnostic and treatment quality). The results showed that the average score of occupational stress of clinicians engaged in complex root canal therapy was (2.86±0.52) points (on a 5-point scale), indicating a moderate to high level of occupational stress; the average score of diagnostic and treatment quality was (3.72±0.48) points (on a 5-point scale), with 68.31% of clinicians reaching the excellent level of quality. Pearson correlation analysis showed that occupational stress was negatively correlated with diagnostic and treatment quality (r=-0.432, P<0.01), meaning that the higher the occupational stress of clinicians, the lower the diagnostic and treatment quality of complex root canal therapy. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that time pressure (β=-0.286, P<0.01), technical difficulty pressure (β=-0.214, P<0.01), and patient communication pressure (β=-0.178, P<0.01) were the key stressors affecting the diagnostic and treatment quality. This study confirms that occupational stress of clinicians has a significant negative impact on the diagnostic and treatment quality in complex root canal therapy, and targeted intervention on key stressors is of great significance for improving the quality of complex root canal therapy.
Keywords
Complex Root Canal Therapy; Occupational Stress; Clinicians; Diagnostic and Treatment Quality; Correlational Study
References
[1] Smith, J. A., & Johnson, L. B. (2020). Impact of Clinician Stress on Treatment Errors in Endodontics. Journal of Dental Research, 99(3), 287-294.
[2] Brown, E. C., et al. (2021). Occupational Stress and Burnout Among Dental Clinicians: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12), 6432.
[3] Garcia, M. E., & Rodriguez, A. M. (2022). The Role of Technical Stress in Endodontic Treatment Quality. Endodontic Practice Today, 35(2), 45-52.
[4] Lee, S. H., et al. (2023). Association Between Clinician Stress and Periapical Healing in Root Canal Therapy. Journal of Endodontics, 49(4), 435-441.
[5] Wang, Y. L., & Zhang, X. F. (2023). Development and Validation of a Quality Evaluation Scale for Complex Root Canal Therapy in China. Chinese Journal of Dental Research, 26(2), 123-130.
[6] Johnson, L. B., et al. (2024). Patient-Related Stress and Treatment Complications in Endodontic Practice. Journal of Dental Sciences, 19(3), 456-462.
[7] Smith, J. A., & Brown, E. C. (2024). Organizational Stressors and Their Impact on Endodontic Clinician Performance. International Endodontic Journal, 57(6), 789-797.
[8] Garcia, M. E., & Lee, S. H. (2025). The Influence of Work Experience on Clinician Stress and Treatment Quality in Complex Root Canal Therapy. Dental Clinics of North America, 69(1), 123-134.
[9] Wang, Y. L., & Johnson, L. B. (2025). A Longitudinal Study of Clinician Stress and Treatment Outcomes in Endodontics. Journal of Dental Research, 104(5), 567-574.
[10] Zhang, X. F., et al. (2025). Stress Mitigation Strategies for Dental Clinicians Performing Complex Root Canal Therapy: A Practical Guide. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 23(3), 345-353.