NEW STRESSORS FOR GDPS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS - A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Objective To identify new stressors that general dental practitioners have experienced from those reported in the UK national surveys of 198 6 and 1996. Design Series of interviews. Setting General dental practi ces from suburban and inner city areas in two health authorities of th e North West of England. Subjects A random sample often general dental practitioners participated; there were no refusals. Method In-depth i nterviews employing a research psychologist were conducted to invite c omment on the areas of work pressure they had experienced during the p ast ten years. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and content an alysed.Results More than 130 statements categorised into 29 topics ref erred to pressures related to work. There was good agreement (93%) bet ween authors and an independent assessor when a sort of the statements into the defined categories was completed. The most referred area of stress was the system changes of running a practice and the possibilit y of further changes. Patient expectations were considered to be risin g. Aggression exhibited by some patients in the practice, the risk of cross-infection, litigation and the dentist working as a team member w ere newly identified stressors not included in original classification s of dental work pressure. Conclusions Dental practitioners from this small study identified uncertainty in the future of the organisation o f dental care provision as the most important new pressure of work.