Microaggression Towards Dental Hygienists Who Identify as Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Relationship to Health-Related Quality of Life.

IF 1.4 4区医学 Q3 DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE

International journal of dental hygiene Pub Date : 2026-03-16 DOI:10.1111/idh.70043

Jacqueline M Cohen, Linda D Boyd, Jared Vineyard

{"title":"Microaggression Towards Dental Hygienists Who Identify as Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Relationship to Health-Related Quality of Life.","authors":"Jacqueline M Cohen, Linda D Boyd, Jared Vineyard","doi":"10.1111/idh.70043","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: Racial discrimination in the United States is an issue that negatively affects physical and mental health, job performance, career satisfaction, and self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of microaggressions in the workplace towards dental hygienists who identify as racial/ethnic minorities and effects on their health-related quality of life.Methods: Cross-sectional survey research was used with a purposive sample of racial and ethnic minority dental hygienists (n = 207) in the United States. The survey utilised two validated instruments: Racial Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (REMS) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL-4). Analysis was conducted with descriptive statistics, correlations, and logistic regression.Results: The completion rate for the survey was 64.3% (n = 133). All participants experienced some form of racial/ethnic microaggression. Black or African American participants experienced Second-Class Citizen and Assumptions of Criminality (p < 0.001) and microaggressions in the workplace environment (p < 0.001) more frequently than individuals identifying as Hispanic or Latino. HRQoL-4 items were statistically significantly associated with REMS subscales. Logistic regression identified the REMS Workplace and School Microaggressions (WSM) subscale (B = 0.13, SE = 0.06, Wald χ2(1) = 5.40, p = 0.020, OR = 1.14) as a predictor of higher odds for reporting 15-20 days affected by mental health issues. In addition, the WSM subscale (B = 0.14, SE = 0.06, Wald χ2(1) = 6.51, p = 0.011, OR = 1.15) was a predictor of reporting 15-30 days usual activities were negatively affected by physical and mental health issues.Conclusions: Findings showed workplace racial/ethnic microaggression negatively affected the number of days per month that mental health and usual activities were impacted for this sample of dental hygienists who identified as ethnic or racial minorities. Identifying and addressing racial/ethnic microaggressions is crucial for increasing workforce diversity and enhancing awareness may promote a more inclusive and positive dental work environment.","PeriodicalId":13791,"journal":{"name":"International journal of dental hygiene","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2026-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International journal of dental hygiene","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.70043","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: Racial discrimination in the United States is an issue that negatively affects physical and mental health, job performance, career satisfaction, and self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of microaggressions in the workplace towards dental hygienists who identify as racial/ethnic minorities and effects on their health-related quality of life.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey research was used with a purposive sample of racial and ethnic minority dental hygienists (n = 207) in the United States. The survey utilised two validated instruments: Racial Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (REMS) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL-4). Analysis was conducted with descriptive statistics, correlations, and logistic regression.

Results: The completion rate for the survey was 64.3% (n = 133). All participants experienced some form of racial/ethnic microaggression. Black or African American participants experienced Second-Class Citizen and Assumptions of Criminality (p < 0.001) and microaggressions in the workplace environment (p < 0.001) more frequently than individuals identifying as Hispanic or Latino. HRQoL-4 items were statistically significantly associated with REMS subscales. Logistic regression identified the REMS Workplace and School Microaggressions (WSM) subscale (B = 0.13, SE = 0.06, Wald χ²(1) = 5.40, p = 0.020, OR = 1.14) as a predictor of higher odds for reporting 15-20 days affected by mental health issues. In addition, the WSM subscale (B = 0.14, SE = 0.06, Wald χ²(1) = 6.51, p = 0.011, OR = 1.15) was a predictor of reporting 15-30 days usual activities were negatively affected by physical and mental health issues.

Conclusions: Findings showed workplace racial/ethnic microaggression negatively affected the number of days per month that mental health and usual activities were impacted for this sample of dental hygienists who identified as ethnic or racial minorities. Identifying and addressing racial/ethnic microaggressions is crucial for increasing workforce diversity and enhancing awareness may promote a more inclusive and positive dental work environment.

查看原文本刊更多论文

对少数种族/少数民族牙科保健员的微攻击及其与健康相关生活质量的关系。

目的：在美国，种族歧视是一个对身心健康、工作绩效、职业满意度和自尊产生负面影响的问题。本研究的目的是调查工作场所中针对少数种族/族裔的牙科保健员的微侵犯行为的普遍程度及其对其健康相关生活质量的影响。方法：采用横断面调查研究，目的样本为美国种族和少数民族牙科卫生员（n = 207）。调查使用了两种有效的工具：种族民族微侵犯量表（REMS）和健康相关生活质量量表（HRQoL-4）。采用描述性统计、相关性和逻辑回归进行分析。结果：调查完成率为64.3% （n = 133）。所有参与者都经历了某种形式的种族/民族微侵犯。黑人或非裔美国人参与者经历二等公民和犯罪假设（p 2(1) = 5.40, p = 0.020, or = 1.14）作为报告15-20天受心理健康问题影响的较高几率的预测因子。此外，WSM子量表（B = 0.14, SE = 0.06, Wald χ2(1) = 6.51, p = 0.011, OR = 1.15）是报告15-30天日常活动受到身心健康问题负面影响的预测因子。结论：研究结果表明，工作场所种族/民族微侵犯行为对被认定为少数民族或种族的牙科保健员的心理健康和日常活动每月受到影响的天数产生了负面影响。识别和解决种族/族裔微侵犯对于增加劳动力多样性至关重要，提高认识可能会促进更具包容性和积极的牙科工作环境。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

International journal of dental hygiene DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE-

CiteScore

4.00

自引率

8.30%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： International Journal of Dental Hygiene is the official scientific peer-reviewed journal of the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH). The journal brings the latest scientific news, high quality commissioned reviews as well as clinical, professional and educational developmental and legislative news to the profession world-wide. Thus, it acts as a forum for exchange of relevant information and enhancement of the profession with the purpose of promoting oral health for patients and communities. The aim of the International Journal of Dental Hygiene is to provide a forum for exchange of scientific knowledge in the field of oral health and dental hygiene. A further aim is to support and facilitate the application of new knowledge into clinical practice. The journal welcomes original research, reviews and case reports as well as clinical, professional, educational and legislative news to the profession world-wide.