Experiences of Workers with Chronic Health Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Examination of Demands and Resources

Abstract

AbstractChronic health conditions are not uncommon among working adults; however, research on the unique challenges experienced by such workers is relatively limited. The present study investigated the experience of workers with a chronic health condition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were gathered via online survey from 116 workers with a chronic health condition, from various occupations and with various conditions. Results from analyzing qualitative data indicated that around half of workers were satisfied with their organization’s response to the pandemic, but a substantial portion desired additional accommodations or felt some sense of stigma or being undervalued. Quantitative tests of study hypotheses indicated that job insecurity affected workers’ psychological well-being, while perceptions of devaluation affected burnout. Resources of perceived organizational support and flexibility were beneficial for well-being, as evidenced by bivariate correlations, but did not show unique or moderating effects in more stringent regression models. Exploratory analyses suggested that some of the benefits of resources and impacts of demands could depend on the number of health problems being managed. Implications of our findings are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.