This dataset provides information on dental anxiety and psychological distress experienced by patients in Albania and Germany. Data were collected using the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). Additional information on oral health and dental care behaviors was also obtained. The dataset contains the responses from 263 patients (N = 133 German and N = 130 Albanian) who completed questionnaires between December 2019 and July 2020. The variables include measures of dental anxiety (DAS), psychological distress (BSI-18), and self-reported oral health behaviors such as the tooth brushing frequency, frequency of dental visits, frequency of tartar removal, and frequency of professional teeth cleaning. The dataset also includes measures of subjective health status and oral health-related self-efficacy. The dataset enables for cross-cultural comparisons and supports further research into the relationship between dental anxiety, psychological distress, and oral health practices.

Background/Objective This study investigates factors associated with long-term posttraumatic stress following later termination of pregnancy due to fetal anomaly.Methods N = 159 women undergoing later termination of pregnancy were assessed at four time points: pre-termination (T0), at four months (T1, N = 115), one year (T2, N = 99), and four years post-termination (T3, N = 90). Participants answered a questionnaire containing questions about posttraumatic stress (IES), optimism (LOT-R), social support (F-SozU) and several sociodemographic as well as pregnancy related variables. To assess changes in posttraumatic stress over time and possible predictors, generalized estimating equations were calculated.Results Average posttraumatic stress declined significantly from T1 (52.3% above average) to T2 (20.0%) and T3 (17.8%). Optimism at T0 was a significant predictor for lower overall posttraumatic stress, avoidance and intrusion. Having previous children and higher gestational age were significant predictors for higher intrusion scores.Conclusions Findings align with research indicating that most women recover from the initial distress, though some experience prolonged symptoms and should thus receive adequate psychological support. Lower optimism, having previous children and higher gestational age may be risk factors for higher posttraumatic stress levels. Further research should examine the sources of posttraumatic stress among people seeking abortion later in pregnancy due to fetal anomaly.

Die prähospitale Notfallversorgung ist medizinisch und kommunikativ herausfordernd. Diese Studie untersucht die Erfahrung von Patient:innen, die 2024 nach einem luftgebundenen Notfalleinsatz befragt wurden. Erfasst wurden Ängste, Informationsstand, Betreuung, Schmerzreduktion und Gesamtzufriedenheit. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine hohe Gesamtzufriedenheit (M = 1,44), eine deutliche Reduktion initialer Angst (von M = 3,70 auf 2,34) sowie starke Zusammenhänge zwischen kommunikativen Faktoren und Zufriedenheit. Empathie, Informationsqualität und subjektive Sicherheit beeinflussen das Erleben deutlich stärker als rein medizinisch-technische Maßnahmen. Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass patientenzentrierte Kommunikation und einfühlsames Handeln zentrale Qualitätsindikatoren in der Luftrettung sind. Praktisch stützen die Befunde standardisierte patientenzentrierte Kommunikation und Angehörigeninformation.

The present dataset comprises information pertaining to dental anxiety and current stress among patients attending an oral surgery clinic. The data were collected using Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the questionnaire on current stress (KAB, ‘Kurzfragebogen zur aktuellen Beanspruchung’). Information pertaining to gender and age was also recorded. The dataset contains the responses of 129 patients from an oral surgery clinic (N = 67 (51.9%) females, mean age 41.8 years) who completed questionnaires between July 2013 and August 2013. The variables include measures of dental anxiety (DAS) and current stress (KAB). As the KAB questionnaire was administered on three occasions during the clinic visit (1) in the waiting room, (2) before and (3) after treatment in the treatment room), it is possible to illustrate how an individual’s experience of stress varies in relation to their dental anxiety.

The Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) is a well-established instrument for assessing dental anxiety. While numerous cross-sectional studies have examined the DAS, longitudinal research investigating age-related changes, reliability, validity over time, associations with mental and physical health, and demographic determinants remains limited. Furthermore, the possibility of longitudinal changes in its factor structure has received limited attention. In 2013/2014, N = 329 German adults (53.6

Background:Dental anxiety is a prevalent phenomenon with the potential to impact both psychological well-being and oral health outcomes. It may lead to individuals avoiding treatment. This study aims to explore the relationship between psychological anxiety symptoms and physical anxiety symptoms in dental anxiety. Methods:Between 2019 and 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted including 1,327 patients from a variety of dental practices in Germany and students (age range: 18-85 years; mean: 39.65 years, 60.7% female). Participants completed validated questionnaires, including the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), the Scale Somato-visceral arousal of the Dental Fear Survey (DFS-SVA), the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18 GSI), and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-5). Data was analysed using Mann-Whitney-U-tests, Spearman correlations, Kruskal-Wallis-tests and linear regression models. The significance level was set at p = 0.05. Results:The mean value for dental anxiety (DAS) was 9.81 (SD = 4.07) and for physical anxiety symptoms (DFS-SVA) 10.51 (SD = 4.70). Of the participants, 808 (60.9%) reported no dental anxiety, 368 (27.7%) were somewhat anxious and 151 (11.4%) reported severe dental anxiety. A strong correlation was observed between DAS and DFS (r = 0.544), while moderate correlations were found between DAS and BSI-18 (r = 0.300) and between DAS and OHIP-5 (r = 0.371). The application of regression analysis indicated that DFS-SVA was the strongest predictor of DAS scores (β = 0.434, p < 0.001), followed by BSI-18 GSI (β = 0.285, p < 0.001) and age (β = 0.174, p < 0.001). Gender was not found to have a significant influence on results. A significant disparity was observed in the results between male and female scores and on the DAS, DFS-SVA, and BSI-18 GSI compared to men. Conclusion:The study corroborates substantial correlation between psychological dental anxiety and physical anxiety symptoms. These findings underscore the necessity for early detection and targeted interventions within dental practices with the aim of enhancing both oral health and overall quality of life. It is recommended that future research endeavours focus on the investigation of causal relationships and the identification of effective treatment strategies to further enhance patient care.

In this article, we investigate the question of whether political socialization in the German Democratic Republic before the fall of the Berlin Wall has had an effect on current attitudes toward German unification and the role of intra-German migration in this context. We used the data of the Saxon Longitudinal Study to measure gdr identification of the respondents in 1987 and to test their influence on attitudes toward unification more than 30 years later. Results show that a consolidation of gdr identity in adolescence shapes the affinity for socialism in the further course of life, but does not seem to play a role in the later approval of unification and in the feeling of being disadvantaged as an East German.

To examine mental and physical health, loneliness, and life satisfaction in East Germany, data were collected at four time points: in 2017/2018, 2019/2020, 2021, and 2022. Changes in data before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were determined using validated short scales. Additionally, a newly developed questionnaire was integrated in 2022 to depict working from home (WFH). The data set is part of the Saxon Longitudinal Study (SLS), first conducted in 1987 in the former German Democratic Republic and has been continued almost annually, consisting of 33 waves since then (N > 300). As an East German sample, the SLS offers a long-term perspective on psychological and physical health. The extent of mental health can be interpreted based on validated short scales D-Score (Distress Score), PHQ-4 (Patient Health Questionnaire-4), LS-S (Loneliness Scale), L-1 (Short Scale of Life Satisfaction), and a Corona Anxiety Scale. The physical strain can be interpreted based on the answers to the G-Score, SSS-8 (Somatic Symptom Scale), and an individual item on health status. The questionnaire on WFH allows comparisons between participants WFH and those who did not. This dataset will contribute to further research into events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact.

Objective During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in health-related anxiety and stress levels. The extent of COVID-19-specific anxiety and correlations with well-being are being investigated. Methods In 2021, N=321 participants in the Saxon Longitudinal Study were asked about COVID-19-specific fears, life satisfaction and physical and mental well-being using a questionnaire. Results N=109 people (34.6%) reported pronounced COVID-19-specific fears. Correlations between COVID-19-specific fears and psychological well-being, physical well-being, life satisfaction and perceived state of health were determined. In summary, people with strong COVID-19-specific fears were significantly more stressed. Conclusion COVID-19-specific fears can be associated with physical and psychological complaints. It is important to identify vulnerable population groups.

Background/Objectives: The Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) is known and used to evaluate and assess adult behaviors and attitudes related to oral self-care and oral-health. In English-speaking countries, the DNS has been used in many studies. At the moment, there is no validated version of the DNS that is available in the German language. The aim of this study is to validate a German version of the DNS to evaluate and assess the oral health and behavior among the German population. Methods: The study population consisted of N = 311 German adults (180 female, 130 male, 1 diverse) aged from 18 to 90 years from a dental clinic in Germany. The participants answered a questionnaire. In addition to questions on their socio-demographic background and the DNS, the survey included more standardized instruments relating to preventive behavior, dental anxiety, and oral health. Results: The DNS was translated into German. An explanatory factor analysis was conducted, which supported the unifactorial structure of the scale. The following results were obtained for the reliability of the resulting DNS: Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.710, McDonald’s Omega = 0.711, and Mean = 25.63 (SD = 4.02, Range 12–30). Convergent and divergent validity were demonstrated through associations between the DNS and various oral health scales, and by differences between genders and age groups. Conclusions: This study confirms the quality of the criteria of the DNS for German adults. The DNS is a convincing instrument that is used for epidemiological studies in the field of dentistry and psychology. Further validation with other samples should be conducted.

In der COVID-19-Pandemie kam es zu einem Anstieg gesundheitsbezogener Ängste und Stressbelastungen. Es werden die Ausprägung COVID-19-spezifischer Ängste und Zusammenhänge zum Befinden untersucht. 2021 wurden N=321 Teilnehmende der Sächsischen Längsschnittstudie mittels Fragebogen zu COVID-19-spezifischen Ängsten, Lebenszufriedenheit sowie körperlichem und psychischem Befinden befragt. N=109 Personen (34,6%) gaben ausgeprägte COVID-19-spezifische Ängste an. Zusammenhänge der COVID-19-spezifischen Ängste zu psychischem Befinden, körperlichem Befinden, Lebenszufriedenheit und wahrgenommenem Gesundheitszustand wurden ermittelt. Zusammenfassend zeigten sich Personen mit starken COVID-19-spezifischen Ängsten deutlich belasteter. COVID-19-spezifische Ängste können mit körperlichen und seelischen Beschwerden assoziiert sein. Es ist wichtig, belastete Bevölkerungsgruppen zu identifizieren.

Background/Objectives: Dental anxiety has been demonstrated to exert a significant influence on the frequency of treatment, the degree of patient compliance, and the long-term implications for oral health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the extent of dental anxiety experienced by patients attending an oral surgery practice in Germany. In addition, the study sought to assess their preventive dental behaviour and to explore any potential associations between anxiety levels and the utilisation of preventive care services. Methods: The present study comprised 102 consecutive adult outpatients from a private oral surgery practice. The assessment of dental anxiety was conducted using the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS). The behaviour of the subjects in relation to preventative dental care was measured using a series of six standardised items, including the frequency of tooth brushing, tartar removal, and professional tooth cleaning. The data analysis comprised descriptive statistics, chi-square (χ2) tests, multiple linear regression, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The mean DAS score was 12.69 (SD = 3.36). According to the DAS classification system, 28.4% of patients reported low anxiety, 50.0% moderate anxiety, and 21.6% high dental anxiety. Regression analysis explained 10% of the variance in DAS scores (R2 = 0.128, adj. R2 = 0.100). The analysis revealed that age (β = −0.218, p = 0.035) and lower educational level (β = −0.357, p < 0.001) were associated with higher anxiety scores, whereas sex was not a significant predictor. Preventive dental behaviour, encompassing practices such as tooth brushing, professional tooth cleaning, and tartar removal, did not exhibit significant disparities across anxiety groups (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: While dental anxiety was prevalent among the patient sample, it did not exert a significant influence on preventive dental behaviours. However, patients with lower levels of education and younger age exhibited higher dental anxiety scores. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted educational and preventive strategies in patients with elevated dental anxiety.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic and the preventive measures led to a change in the health behaviour among the population. Medical students were particularly affected by this. Previous studies primarily focused on few health behaviours, were mostly conducted in 2020–2021, and did not assess the persistence of these behaviours post-pandemic.MethodsA combined cross-sectional and longitudinal approach were applied to examine changes in physical activity, screen time, sleep duration and consumption of unhealthy foods, alcohol and of tobacco. Data from Medical Students at the Technical University of Dresden were collected online as part of the multicenter study “Medical Student Health Survey” in 2020 and 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied.ResultsMedical students (N = 575) reported reduced physical activity and increased screen time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing lockdown and changed habits as main reasons. Longitudinal analysis of medical students (N = 66) between 2020 and 2022 revealed increased physical activity (p = 0.018) and decreased unhealthy food consumption (p = 0.009) after the end of the pandemic. Screen time, sleep duration and consumption of alcohol and of tobacco products remained unchanged. Changes in health behaviours were not intercorrelated.DiscussionThe COVID-19 pandemic led to change in health behaviour of medical students. However, intra-pandemic changes differing from pre-post pandemic changes and interindividual variations in health behaviour change were found. The rise in physical activity, the decreased consumption of unhealthy foods, and the low tobacco use reflect a health-aware cohort. The findings should inform the development of future preventive measures and further research is needed to understand the sustainability and broader impact of these health behaviour changes.

Hintergrund. Kinder sollten früh an Themen der Mundgesundheit und an Zahnarztbesuche gewöhnt werden. Bereits in Kindertagesstätten werden primärpräventiv zahnmedizinische Themen besprochen. Bisher gab es keine wissenschaftliche Analyse über Kinderbücher zum Thema Zähneputzen/Zahnarztbesuche und deren Qualität. Fragestellung. Untersucht wird, welche Kinderbücher zu den Themen Zahnputzverhalten und Mundgesundheitswissen erhältlich sind und wie deren Qualität aus zahnärztlicher und gesundheitspsychologischer Sicht ist. Kriterien zur Bewertung von Kinderbüchern werden erstellt und Empfehlungen für die Gestaltung von Kinderbüchern gegeben. Material und Methoden. 2020 erfolgte eine Literaturrecherche im deutschsprachigen Raum. Verfügbare Bücher wurden nach einem standardisierten System hinsichtlich der Wichtigkeit des Zähneputzens, der grafischen und sprachlichen Gestaltung, der realistischen Darstellung sowie der altersgerechten didaktischen Vermittlung des zahnärztlichen Fachwissen in sechs Kategorien und mit einem Gesamtscore beurteilt. Ergebnisse. Insgesamt wurden N = 87 Kinderbücher zu den Themen Zahnarztbesuch oder Zähneputzen identifiziert, von denen N = 78 (89,7

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak necessitated physical distancing, as part of secondary prevention, at a personal and professional level. Working from home (WFH) became increasingly important. In this study, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on physical and mental health is investigated, compared with pre-pandemic data, and with employees who WFH and are on-site. Methods: Data from the German Saxon longitudinal study population were used. Attitudes towards WFH as well as mental and physical health assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic were examined. Comparisons were made with corresponding pre-pandemic scores and between employees WFH and on-site in 2022. Results: In total, 319 participants with equal gender distribution were included. Of those, 86 worked from home stating better organizability of their work, more time for partnership, less stress, and greater work satisfaction. Compared to pre-pandemic data, the D-score, PHQ-4, G-Score, and PHQ-SSS-8 showed a significant increase. No difference in physical or mental health between employees WFH and on-site was observed. Conclusion: In general, COVID-19 restrictions had a negative impact on mental and physical health. Although WFH is well accepted, it did not show significant health benefits.

Objective Discrimination can have a negative impact on mental health and thus can play a crucial role in the context of psychotherapy. This paper outlines the potentials and the relevance of an (intersectional) privilege awareness of psychotherapists for a discrimination-sensitive psychotherapy. The aim of this study was to assess the privilege awareness of psychotherapists in Germany for the first time as well as its thematization in the training of psychotherapists. In addition, the connection between belonging to a marginalized group and the privilege awareness was investigated. Methods 270 psychotherapists (in training) based in Germany participated in an online survey (2022). Privilege awareness was assessed with an adapted version of the Awareness of Privilege and Oppression Scale-2, translated into German, regarding the following axes of discrimination: heterosexism, classism, and racism. Three self-written items additionally surveyed the thematization of discrimination and privilege in psychotherapy training. The relationship between belonging to a marginalized group and privilege awareness was examined using linear regression analysis. Results Nearly 65% (N=270) of participants felt unprepared or somewhat unprepared to deal with patients' experiences of discrimination, with approximately 40% (N=270) indicating that discrimination was not addressed in training. Privilege was addressed much less frequently. Belonging to a marginalized group was associated with higher privilege awareness (B=0,47, 95%-confidence interval: 0,27-0,67, F(2, 267)=15,41, p<0,001). Conclusion There is a need to include the impact of discrimination and privilege on mental health and the therapeutic relationship as an integral part of psychotherapy training to enhance its quality as well as the quality of future psychotherapies.

OBJECTIVE:The objective of the study was to investigate whether psychological distress increased in a German community sample from Saxony during the course of the Corona pandemic.METHODS:In 2017/2018 and 2022, N=289 participants (54.7% female) of the Saxon Longitudinal Study were interviewed about their psychological well-being using questionnaires (PHQ-4, SSS-8).RESULTS:There is a significant increase in complaints (anxiety, depression, psychological distress, physical complaints) compared to 2017/2018 to 2022 with effect sizes in the small and medium range (Cohens d=0.26-0.62).CONCLUSION:Data collection was not due to the pandemic but was routine as part of an ongoing long-term study. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in psychological distress and physical complaints in a Saxonian, age-homogeneous population sample.

Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Diskriminierung kann sich negativ auf die psychische Gesundheit auswirken und spielt somit auch im Kontext der Psychotherapie eine entscheidende Rolle. Die vorliegende Studie skizziert die Potenziale sowie die Relevanz eines (intersektionalen) Privilegienbewusstseins von Psychotherapeut*innen für eine diskriminierungssensible Psychotherapie. Ziel war, erstmalig das Privilegienbewusstsein von Psychotherapeut*innen in Deutschland sowie dessen Thematisierung in der Ausbildung von Psychotherapeut*innen zu erfassen. Zudem wurde der Zusammenhang von der Zugehörigkeit zu einer marginalisierten Gruppe und dem Privilegienbewusstsein auf Seiten der Psychotherapeut*innen untersucht. Methode In einer deutschlandweiten Online-Befragung (2022) nahmen 270 Psychotherapeut*innen (in Ausbildung) teil. Das Privilegienbewusstsein wurde mit einer gekürzten, ins Deutsche übersetzten Version der Awareness of Privilege and Oppression Scale-2 bezüglich der Diskriminierungsachsen Heterosexismus, Klassismus und Rassismus erhoben. Drei selbstkonstruierte Items haben ergänzend die Thematisierung von Diskriminierung und Privilegierung in der Psychotherapieausbildung erhoben. Der Zusammenhang zwischen der Zugehörigkeit zu einer marginalisierten Gruppe und dem Privilegienbewusstsein wurde mittels linearer Regressionsanalyse adjustiert für Alter untersucht. Ergebnisse Knapp 65% der Teilnehmenden fühlten sich nicht oder eher nicht auf den Umgang mit Diskriminierungserfahrungen von Patient*innen vorbereitet, wobei ca. 40% angaben, dass Diskriminierung in der Ausbildung nicht thematisiert wurde. Deutlich seltener wurde Privilegierung thematisiert. Die Zugehörigkeit zu einer marginalisierten Gruppe ging mit einem statistisch signifikant höheren Privilegienbewusstsein einher (B=0,47, 95%-Konfidenzintervall: 0,27–0,67, F(2, 267)=15,41, p<0,001). Schlussfolgerung Der Einfluss von Diskriminierung und Privilegierung auf die psychische Gesundheit und therapeutische Beziehung werden derzeit nicht ausreichend in der Psychotherapieausbildung berücksichtigt. Die Aufnahme dieser Themen in das Curriculum der Ausbildung hat das Potenzial, die Qualität der Psychotherapie erheblich zu verbessern.

Abstract Background The present study is the first in Albania on dental fear and dental anxiety and also in the field of psychosocial medicine. The purpose of this study was to find out whether there are differences in dental anxiety using the Dental Anxiety Scale, their level of psychological distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and the evaluation of oral health among Albanian and German patients. Methods This study was conducted in the period from December 2019 to July 2020, a sample of N = 263 patients (133 Germans, 130 Albanians) using the Dental Anxiety Scale questionnaires to determine anxiety before dental treatment and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 to evaluate psychological distress. Moreover, the patients answered questions regarding their oral health and dental care. In Germany, there were four refusals to entrance in the study due to various reasons, in contrast to Albania, where there were no refusals at all For the purposes of this study, data on both populations aged 14 years and older were used. Results The questionnaires results were calculated for all participants. The current subjective health status of Albanian patients was assessed to be significantly worse than that of German patients (p < 0,000). Germans were more susceptible to signs of Anxiety (p < 0,000), Depression and Somatization and scored higher on the Dental Anxiety Scale and the Global Severity Index (p < 0,000) than Albanian patients. Additionally Albanian patients scored significantly lower on the preventive care index (p < 0,000). Despite an elevated DAS anxiety level, German patients reported going to the dentist more frequently than Albanian patients. Conclusion The results showed that between both populations differences in dental anxiety, psychological distress and oral health exists. Patients from Germany report more psychological distress and described more dental anxiety compared to Albanian patients. Albanian patients reported not utilization on oral health care.The implementation of educational programs and preventive measures, would contribute to raising awareness about the importance of oral health and increased use of dental services.

The early 2020s witnessed an unprecedented overlap of multiple global crises. This longitudinal study examined the compounded effects of multiple intersecting global crises on mental health outcomes in a representative cohort of East German adults. We investigated how perceived threats (PT) from climate change (PT-CLC), COVID-19 (PT-COV), the Russia–Ukraine War (PT-RUW), and rising costs of living (PT-RCL) will impact various aspects of mental health from 2021 to 2022. This research question addresses whether these crises exacerbate mental health issues and how their effects differ across various mental health outcomes. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study with 319 participants (mean age 49.9 years, 54.5% female) from the Saxony Longitudinal Study. Data were collected in two waves: March–July 2021 and September–December 2022. We used linear mixed-effects models to analyze both unadjusted group trends and adjusted individual-level effects on physical complaints, mental distress, sleep problems, life satisfaction, and self-rated health. Results: Unadjusted analyses revealed significant increases in mental distress and sleep problems over time, whereas physical complaints, life satisfaction, and self-rated health remained stable at the group level. Adjusted analyses showed that higher PT-RCL and PT-COV were significantly associated with increased physical complaints, mental distress, sleep problems, and decreased life satisfaction, even when group-level changes were not significant. Conclusions: This study highlights the complex impact of intersecting global crises on mental health, emphasizing the importance of considering both population-level trends and individual perceptions. The findings suggest that economic and pandemic-related stressors have more immediate effects on mental health outcomes compared to more distant threats, such as climate change or geopolitical conflicts.