Measurement of social support, community and trust in dentistry

A scoping review to explore patient trust in dentistry: the definition, assessment and dental professionals' perception

Background A trusting dentist-patient relationship is pivotal in providing person-centred care. This scoping review aims to identify how trust is defined, measured and perceived by dental professionals.Methods The Joanna Briggs Institute framework was adopted. A search strategy was developed using MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms and key words. Medline/PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched. Data were synthesised using thematic analysis.Findings In total, 16 studies were included that frequently used quantitative research methodology. Only four studies provided definition of trust. Many studies employed either Dental Trust Scale or Dental Beliefs Survey to measure dentist-patient trust, although others developed their own items. Limited research suggested that the dental professionals appreciated communication was paramount to building a trusting relationship with patients.Conclusion No consensus was found on the definition of trust, nor on a preferred assessment tool to measure dentist-patient trust. The limited evidence intimated that dental professionals acknowledged the importance of effective communication in building a trusting alliance with patients. The scarcity of relevant research highlights the need for more robust investigations of trust in dental care.

Evaluating Trust in the Patient-Dentist Relationship: A Mixed-Method Study

BACKGROUND

The objective of this article was to understand the trust of study participants in dental providers and trust-building practices used by dentists to establish and maintain trust with their patients.

METHODS

This study used a concurrent cross-sectional mixed-methods design to measure the participants' trust in their dental providers. An 11-item Dental Trust Scale (DTS) questionnaire was administered to 150 White, Black, and Hispanic study participants. In addition, the research team conducted semistructured interviews with 7 dentists in order to understand their perspectives related to patient trust. The internal consistency of the DTS was tested using Cronbach's α. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were run to test the association between the DTS mean score and individual participant factors. Qualitative information from interviews was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

The overall mean score of dental trust for the entire sample was 3.4. The DTS had good internal consistency (α = 0.93). Overall, dental trust was significantly higher in participants who had a regular dentist (F = 8.74, P = 0.003). The qualitative data were grouped under these key thematic categories: the importance of trust, building trust, and trust in treatment planning. Qualitative analysis also showed that the 2 main trust-building tools used by dentists were communication and understanding the patient's lifestyle or social determinants of health.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

This study provides insight into the dentist-patient relationship. It increases our understanding of levels of dental trust among patients and examines methods used by the dentist to build trust. The outcomes of this study can be considered by dentists in their everyday practice as they seek to build trust with their patients.

Role of job and personal resources in the appraisal of job demands as challenges and hindrances

Previous research has shown that challenge and hindrance job demands show different effects on employees' wellbeing and performance. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that employees' subjective appraisal of job demands as challenges and hindrances may vary: they can be appraised as challenges or hindrances or both. Subjective appraisal of job demands was found to be also related to employees' wellbeing and productivity. However, little is known about predictors of the appraisals of job demands made by employees. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of such appraisals among job and individual resources. Cross-sectional research was carried out among 426 IT, healthcare and public transport employees. COPSOQ II scales were used to measure job demands (emotional, quantitative, cognitive demands, work pace and role conflicts) and job resources (influence at work, possibilities for development, vertical and horizontal trust), single questions were used to measure employees' subjective appraisals of job demands as hindrances and challenges, and PCQ was used to measure psychological capital. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that only horizontal trust predicted the appraisal of job demands as challenges, and vertical trust predicted the appraisal of job demands as hindrances among four analysed job resources. Individual resource-psychological capital-predicted only the appraisal of job demands as challenges. Control variables-occupation, age and job demands also played a significant role in predicting the appraisal of job demands. Implications and future directions are discussed.

The Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire

INTRODUCTION

A new third version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) has been developed in response to trends in working life, theoretical concepts, and international experience. A key component of the COPSOQ III is a defined set of mandatory core items to be included in national short, middle, and long versions of the questionnaire. The aim of the present article is to present and test the reliability of the new international middle version of the COPSOQ III.

METHODS

The questionnaire was tested among 23,361 employees during 2016-2017 in Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Turkey. A total of 26 dimensions (measured through scales or single items) of the middle version and two from the long version were tested. Psychometric properties of the dimensions were assessed regarding reliability (Cronbach α), ceiling and floor effects (fractions with extreme answers), and distinctiveness (correlations with other dimensions).

RESULTS

Most international middle dimensions had satisfactory reliability in most countries, though some ceiling and floor effects were present. Dimensions with missing values were rare. Most dimensions had low to medium intercorrelations.

CONCLUSIONS

The COPSOQ III offers reliable and distinct measures of a wide range of psychosocial dimensions of modern working life in different countries; although a few measures could be improved. Future testing should focus on validation of the COPSOQ items and dimensions using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Such investigations would enhance the basis for recommendations using the COPSOQ III.

Relational coordination and organisational social capital association with characteristics of general practice

Background. Relational coordination (RC) and organisational social capital (OSC) are measures of novel aspects of an organisation's performance, which have not previously been analysed together, in general practice. Objectives. The aim of this study was to analyse the associations between RC and OSC, and characteristics of general practice. Methods. Questionnaire survey study comprising 2074 practices in Denmark. Results. General practitioners (GPs) rated both RC and OSC in their general practice higher than their secretaries and nurses. The practice form was statistically significantly associated with high RC and OSC. RC was positively associated with the number of patients listed with a practice per staff, where staff is defined as all members of a practice including both owners and employees. Conclusion. The study showed that RC and OSC were significantly associated with type of profession and practice type. RC was also found to be significantly positively associated with number of patients per staff. However, the low response rate must be taken into consideration when interpreting the self-reported results of this study.