Health of dentists in southern Thailand

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and nature of some health and lifestyle problems of dentists in southern Thailand.\ud \ud Method: The design was a cross-sectional study using a self-report questionnaire distributed to all 220 dentists working in 14 provinces in southern Thailand in 1997.\ud \ud Results: One hundred and seventy-eight 178 (80.9%) dentists aged 22–54 years responded. Only about one third of dentists 65 (36.7%) reported exercising on a regular basis. Almost one fifth of dentists 35 (19.1%) reported that they consumed alcohol on a weekly basis. Few dentists 4 (2.4%) reported regular smoking. Almost all dentists reported that their practice of dentistry has increased stress or stress-related problems 171 (96.1%). More than two thirds of respondents had had some known or unknown systemic health problem since graduation 112 (71.8%), although most dentists reported having no systemic disease at present 104 (59.1 %).\ud \ud Conclusions: The present study has indicated that dentists in southern Thailand report a high career prevalence of stress, a moderate career prevalence of work-related problems which may be related to job satisfaction, and moderate career prevalence of systemic disease. Further continuing education and investigation of appropriate interventions to improve rates of exercise amongst dentists in southern Thailand is needed