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Occupational Medicine Advance Access originally published online on September 16, 2008
Occupational Medicine 2008 58(8):584-586; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqn112
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Short Reports

Risk factors for work-related stress and health in head teachers

Samantha J. Phillips1, Dil Sen2 and Roseanne McNamee3

1 Working Health Solutions, PO Box 298, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 9AG, UK
2 Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester, Humanities Building, Devas Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
3 Biostatistics Group, School of Community Based Medicine, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK

Background Work-related stress (WRS) is known to cause ill-health and decreased productivity. Work in the education sector is thought to be particularly stressful. Few studies have considered risk factors for WRS and health in head teachers.

Aims To investigate health in head teachers in West Sussex. To determine personal risk factors most likely to predict cases of WRS and of poor health in head teachers.

Methods A cross-sectional study, in a population of 290 head teachers and principals of colleges of further education, using a validated questionnaire, ‘a short stress evaluation tool’ (ASSET) and additional questions derived from earlier studies. Results were compared with the ASSET database ‘norm’ groups: a general population of workers (GPN) group and a group of managers and professionals (MPN). ‘Caseness’ was defined as respondents who felt work was ‘very or extremely stressful’.

Results Head teachers had poor physical and mental health compared to the GPN group. Psychological well-being, particularly of females and primary head teachers was worse than a comparative group of managers and professionals. Teaching <5 h/week was a significant predictor of caseness and being female was the main risk factor for poor psychological well-being.

Conclusions Prevalence of self-reported stress in head teachers in West Sussex is high. Female head teachers had worse health outcomes. Our study identified possible personal risk factors predicting WRS and/or poor health in head teachers.

Keywords      Head teachers; health outcomes; work-related stress

Correspondence to: Samantha J. Phillips, Working Health Solutions, PO Box 298, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 9AG, UK. Tel: +44 (0)7827 324667; fax: +44 (0)208 020367; e-mail: sam{at}workinghealth.org.uk


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