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(Central News Agency reporter Chen Jun-Kai, Taipei, May 11) As Mother's Day approaches, Taiwanese mothers are not having an easy time. According to a survey, up to 70% of the moderate to high-stress population in the country are women, with the majority being young mothers aged 30 to 39. Their stress stems from the challenge of balancing career and family. Doctors recommend finding outlets for emotional release in daily life.
From October last year to March this year, the Harvard Health Examination Center conducted a stress index evaluation on 692 individuals based on 30 different physiological symptoms. The results showed that nearly half of the participants were troubled by stress. Among the "moderate" and "high" stress groups, a staggering 70% were women.
Within the moderate to high-stress female population, 53% were aged 30 to 39, followed by 22% aged 20 to 29, 17% aged 40 to 49, and finally 5% aged 60 to 69 and 3% aged 50 to 59.
The most common symptoms of stress among women were related to "fatigue." The top five symptoms were: shoulder pain, increased fatigue that is harder to alleviate, frequent back and waist pain, increased eye fatigue, and feeling exhausted after minimal activity.
Chen Qingzhou, director of the Harvard Health Examination Center, analyzed that women aged 30 to 39 are often caught between work and family responsibilities. Many are either newly married or have just had children, leading to 80% of them identifying the source of their stress as the struggle to balance career and family. Issues such as "high work pressure and competing with men," "concerns about child-rearing," and "children's health and academic performance" are particularly stressful for these young mothers.
Women over 40, while having more established career paths and family structures, still face stress, albeit slightly alleviated if their children are older and more independent. However, women in this age group begin to worry more about health-related issues, which remain a primary source of stress.
Chen Qingzhou noted that the survey results do not necessarily indicate that men experience less stress. Instead, men may be more likely to find outlets for stress relief, talk about their issues, or be less sensitive to their symptoms. Women, on the other hand, tend to internalize their worries, which can accumulate over time into significant stress.
Chen Qingzhou advised women to seek professional evaluation and treatment from doctors or psychologists as soon as they notice symptoms of excessive stress. Prolonged stress can lead to mental health issues, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal problems, and even weaken the immune system, potentially causing various chronic illnesses, including cancer. (May 11, 2006)
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ 060511/ 43/ 34n5j. html
70% of Moderate Stress Group are Women, Young Mothers Most Stressed
From October last year to March this year, the Harvard Health Examination Center conducted a stress index evaluation on 692 individuals based on 30 different physiological symptoms. The results showed that nearly half of the participants were troubled by stress. Among the "moderate" and "high" stress groups, a staggering 70% were women.
Within the moderate to high-stress female population, 53% were aged 30 to 39, followed by 22% aged 20 to 29, 17% aged 40 to 49, and finally 5% aged 60 to 69 and 3% aged 50 to 59.
The most common symptoms of stress among women were related to "fatigue." The top five symptoms were: shoulder pain, increased fatigue that is harder to alleviate, frequent back and waist pain, increased eye fatigue, and feeling exhausted after minimal activity.
Chen Qingzhou, director of the Harvard Health Examination Center, analyzed that women aged 30 to 39 are often caught between work and family responsibilities. Many are either newly married or have just had children, leading to 80% of them identifying the source of their stress as the struggle to balance career and family. Issues such as "high work pressure and competing with men," "concerns about child-rearing," and "children's health and academic performance" are particularly stressful for these young mothers.
Women over 40, while having more established career paths and family structures, still face stress, albeit slightly alleviated if their children are older and more independent. However, women in this age group begin to worry more about health-related issues, which remain a primary source of stress.
Chen Qingzhou noted that the survey results do not necessarily indicate that men experience less stress. Instead, men may be more likely to find outlets for stress relief, talk about their issues, or be less sensitive to their symptoms. Women, on the other hand, tend to internalize their worries, which can accumulate over time into significant stress.
Chen Qingzhou advised women to seek professional evaluation and treatment from doctors or psychologists as soon as they notice symptoms of excessive stress. Prolonged stress can lead to mental health issues, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal problems, and even weaken the immune system, potentially causing various chronic illnesses, including cancer. (May 11, 2006)
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ 060511/ 43/ 34n5j. html