Risks of burn-out and long-term inactivity among parents: Research on the impact of combining work and care for children

Long-term inactivity is increasing in Belgium. At the end of 2015, 133.800 Belgians were absent for longer than one year due to psychological complaints including burn-out. Especially working parents are at risk: they are likely to combine high work pressure with the care for (young) children. This study investigates the impact of combining work and care responsibilities on long-term inactivity among parents. The research focuses on long-term inactivity due to psychological causes related to burn-out.

In this study, we investigate the risks of burn-out and long-term inactivity among parents through an analysis of both existing literature and data for Belgium. Two datasets will be examined: The European Working Conditions Survey and the European Quality of Life Survey collected by Eurofound in 2015 and 2016, respectively. On the basis of these results, we provide insights for future research and identify specific policy recommendations.