High Childcare Stress Linked With Health Worker Burnout

Health care workers who reported high child care stress were 80% more likely to report experiencing burnout than health care workers not experiencing stress about child care responsibilities. Those who reported high levels of stress over personal child care responsibilities were more likely to experience burnout and express intentions to reduce work hours or leave their roles altogether during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. For this analysis, child care stress was identified by responses to a survey question “Due to the impact of COVID-19, I am experiencing concerns about child care.” Responses could range from 1 (not at all) to 4 (a great extent).

Those in early to mid-career (at 6 to 15 years of practice) had 90% greater odds of reporting child care stress than those beginning their career (1 to 5 years of practice). Racial and ethnic minority individuals had 40% to 50% greater odds of reporting child care stress than white respondents. Women had 22% greater odds of reporting child care stress than men.

The researchers concluded that there is an association between reporting high child care stress and burnout. To alleviate current labor challenges as a result of COVID-19 for both workers and health systems, the researchers recommended that workplaces make efforts to accommodate change on short notice, provide on-site care for ill children or on-site schools, and be aware of worker concerns about their children. Organizations that offer these benefits will be better positioned to show workers they are in a caring environment which will invite workers to remain rather than leaving for shift work in other settings.

These findings were presented in “Childcare Stress, Burnout, and Intent to Reduce Hours or Leave the Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among US Health Care Workers,” by Elizabeth M. Harry, M.D.; Lindsey E. Carlasare, MBA; Christine A. Sinsky, M.D.; Roger L. Brown, Ph.D.; Elizabeth Goelz, M.D.; Nancy Nankivil, BS; and Mark Linzer, M.D. The researchers surveyed health care professionals in health care organizations with more than 100 physicians. A total of 58,408 individuals responded to the survey.

The full text of “Childcare Stress, Burnout, and Intent to Reduce Hours or Leave the Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among US Health Care Workers” was published July 18, 2022 by JAMA Network Open. A copy is available online at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2794300.

For more information, contact:

• Elizabeth M. Harry, M.D., Associate Professor, School of Medicine, UCHealth, University of Colorado, 12401 East 17th Avenue, Mail Stop F448, Leprino Building, Office 942, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Email: elizabeth.harry@cuanschutz.edu; Website: https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/hospital-medicine/about/faculty/Harry-Elizabeth-UCD13097