Publication Date

1989

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Gruber, Frank J., IV

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Technology

LCSH

Child care workers--Health and hygiene; Child care workers--Job stress; Child care workers--Diseases

Abstract

Although there has been considerable research concerning the health and safety of children in child care, there has been very little research concerning the health and safety needs of child care staff working in child care centers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine whether or not child care workers experience more health- related problems as a result of their employment than persons who are not employed in child care. A questionnaire was developed based on a review of issues relative to health and safety in child care centers. The questionnaire was mailed to nine randomly- selected child care centers in northwestern Illinois and to a control group of 100 secretaries at Northern Illinois University. After the questionnaires had been returned, the data was analyzed in order to determine whether or not child care workers experience more health-related problems than persons who are not employed in child care centers. In addition, child care workers who work with infants and toddlers in diapers were compared to child care workers who work with toilet-trained toddlers and older children in order to determine if there was a difference in the number of health-related problems between these two groups. Based on the results of this study, child care workers are at greater risk than secretaries to common childhood illnesses, suffer more musculoskeletal problems as a result of lifting children older than two years of age, and are subject to more on-the-job stress and stress- related illnesses. In addition, child care workers who are responsible for infants or children in diapers are more at risk to illness than child care workers who are responsible for toilet-trained children. Because significant growth is expected in the day care industry over the next decade, it is important that health and safety considerations for child care workers be incorporated into plans for new day care centers and into licensing regulations as they are updated by the states.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages 82-85)

Extent

x, 154 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS