Perceived stress and quality of life among graduate dental faculty

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to identify the predictors of perceived stress and quality of life (QoL) among graduate dental faculty. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a representative sample of 348 dental faculty members from master's and doctoral programs in Brazil. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires between August and December 2018. QoL was assessed using the multidimensional World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL-BREF). Perceived stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Participant sociodemographic characteristics served as the independent variables. The data were subjected to linear regression analysis. Results: Women obtained higher PSS scores and lower QoL scores (P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between perceived stress and all 4 QoL domains. Multivariate analysis revealed that a combination of the independent variables (i.e., sex, age, sleep duration, dual employment, medication intake due to work, and leisure time) explained 32% of the variance in perceived stress. Regarding QoL, perceived stress, sleep duration, and medication intake due to work explained 50%, 58%, 27%, and 40% of the variance in the physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environment domain scores, respectively. Sex (i.e., female) and medication intake due to work predicted higher levels of perceived stress. In contrast, age, sleep duration, dual employment, and leisure time were associated with lower levels of perceived stress. Conclusion: Perceived stress and medication intake due to work had a negative effect on QoL, whereas sleep duration had a positive impact on QoL.