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Stressed Swedish teachers often off sick

TT/The Local/at
TT/The Local/at - [email protected]
Stressed Swedish teachers often off sick

Swedish teachers have taken out stress-related sick leave more than the labour market average for years, and the discrepancy has become ever bigger - "You always feel like a failure".

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Five years ago, teachers were already over-represented in sick leave statistics. It was 30 percent more likely that a teacher who works at compulsory school level would take out sick leave citing mental ill health than the average on the Swedish labour market.

A review of Social Security Agency (Försäkringskassan) figures has now revealed that teachers are 50 percent more likely to take time out citing stress-related illness or other psychological health issues. 

Eva, a teacher with twelve years' experience, spoke with Sveriges Radio (SR) about the stress of being a teacher in Sweden.

"It's a job where you like always feel like a failure," she told SR. "You have to be made out of stone to have this job today." 

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