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Early Care and Education Workers’ Experience and Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Emilee L. Quinn

    (Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Bert Stover

    (Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Jennifer J. Otten

    (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
    Nutritional Sciences Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Noah Seixas

    (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

Abstract

Early care and education (ECE) workers experience many job-related stressors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ECE programs either closed or remained open while workers faced additional demands. We deployed a survey of the center-based ECE workforce in Washington State (United States) one year into the COVID-19 pandemic to assess impacts and workers’ perceived stress levels. We describe the prevalence of reported impacts, including workplace closures; job changes; COVID-19 transmission; risk factors for severe COVID-19; the use of social distancing practices; satisfaction with workplace responses; perceptions of worker roles, respect, and influence; and food and financial insecurity. Themes from open-ended responses illustrate how workers’ jobs changed and the stressors that workers experienced as a result. Fifty-seven percent of ECE workers reported moderate or high levels of stress. In a regression model assessing unique contributions to stress, work changes that negatively impacted home life contributed most to stress. Feeling respected for one’s work and feeling positive about one’s role as an “essential worker” contributed to lower levels of stress. Experiencing financial insecurity, caring for school-aged children or children of multiple ages, being younger, and being born in the United States also contributed to higher stress. Findings can inform policies designed to support the workforce.

Suggested Citation

  • Emilee L. Quinn & Bert Stover & Jennifer J. Otten & Noah Seixas, 2022. "Early Care and Education Workers’ Experience and Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2670-:d:758305
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Susan Gritzka & Peter Angerer & Reinhard Pietrowsky & Mathias Diebig, 2022. "The Impact of the Implementation of Preventive Measures Due to COVID-19 on Work Design and Early Childhood Professionals’ Well-Being—A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-30, February.
    2. Laura Linnan & Gabriela Arandia & Lori A. Bateman & Amber Vaughn & Natalie Smith & Dianne Ward, 2017. "The Health and Working Conditions of Women Employed in Child Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-14, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yan-Fang Zhou & Atsushi Nanakida, 2023. "Job satisfaction and self-efficacy of in-service early childhood teachers in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Fahd Alduais & Abeer Ihsan Samara & Heba Mustafa Al-Jalabneh & Ahmed Alduais & Hind Alfadda & Rasha Alaudan, 2022. "Examining Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of University Students during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jordan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Nataly Palomino-Ruiz & Aldo Alvarez-Risco & Jeanet Guzman-Loayza & Oscar Mamani-Benito & Martín A. Vilela-Estrada & Víctor Serna-Alarcón & Shyla Del-Aguila-Arcentales & Jaime A. Yáñez & Christian R. M, 2022. "Job Insecurity According to the Mental Health of Workers in 25 Peruvian Cities during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-15, November.

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