Relationship Between Chronic Health Conditions and Occupational Burnout in the Early Care and Education Workforce.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The early care and education (ECE) workforce experiences high rates of poor mental and physical health outcomes, which impact staff well-being and burnout. This study aimed to assess the relationship between chronic health conditions and occupational burnout in ECE Head Start staff working in low-resourced locations. METHODS: This study administered an 89-item cross-sectional survey to 332 ECE staff employed in 42 Head Start centers in the United States. Staff self-reported on the following 10 chronic health conditions arthritis, asthma, cancer, depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, lung disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. RESULTS: We found that multimorbidity of chronic conditions significantly predicted overall burnout ( B = 2.39, P < 0.01), particularly related to emotional exhaustion ( B = 2.04, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Workplace interventions targeting emotional exhaustion related to chronic health conditions are recommended to effectively address occupational burnout among ECE staff.