Increased Work Load Causing More Health Hazards in Women as Compared to Men

By: Anindita Mandal | Monday, 6 September 2021

According to a study presented by the European Stroke Organization (ESO) conference, women have a higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes compared to men. Although diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and lack of exercise are factors that cause cardiovascular disease, non-traditional factors such as work pressure and sleep problems can significantly increase cardiovascular risk.

The results of the Women's Health Study (WHS) survey was a historic disease prevention survey that involved more than 17,000 women health professionals and showed that women with high work pressure have a 40 per cent higher risk of cardiac disease. The results also showed that women who are concerned about losing their jobs are more likely to suffer from unhealthy high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as obesity.

“Study found men were more likely to smoke and be obese than women, but females reported a bigger increase in the non-traditional risk factors for heart attacks and strokes, such as work stress, sleep disorders, and feeling tired and fatigued,” said Dr. Martin Hansel, Neurologist at the University Hospital Zurich, and her team.

Hansel added, “This increase coincides with the number of women working full time. Juggling work and domestic responsibilities or other socio-cultural aspects may be a factor, as well as specific health demands of women that may not be accounted for in our daily ‘busy’ lives.”

Researchers compared data from 22,000 men and women in the Swiss Health Survey in 2007, 2012, and 2017 and found that the number of women reporting non-traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease has increased dramatically. Coincidentally, the number of women working full-time also increased from 38 per cent in 2007 to 44 per cent in 2017.

As compared to men, the number of women reporting work stress increased from 59 per cent in 2012 to 66 per cent in 2017. While tiredness and fatigue increased from 23 per cent to 29 per cent. The number of cases of sleep disorders increased from 24 per cent to 29 per cent. Women with severe sleep disorders increased by 8 per cent, and men increased by 5 per cent.

In 2013, women accounted for almost 60 per cent of deaths from stroke. According to a new study, the pressure of paid work and social interaction increases the risk of coronary heart disease in women by 21 per cent.

“Our findings are a critical reminder to women, and those who care about them, that the threat of stress to human health should not go ignored,”said Dr.Conglong Wang, the study’s lead author.

A large 15-year study of nurses in Denmark found that the greater the work pressure, the higher the risk of heart disease for women aged 51 and under. A study conducted on white-collar workers in Beijing found that work stress was related to women with thicker carotid artery walls. Stress can increase inflammation and cardiovascular response, leading to metabolic changes, and increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. The results of some studies indicate that the link between psychosocial stress in women and coronary heart disease may be stronger than that in men.

Pressure can cause inflammation of the coronary arteries, leading to thrombosis, which can lead to heart disease. Additionally, stress also makes it difficult for people to develop heart-healthy habits, such as exercise, a good diet, not smoking, and getting enough sleep.

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic:

Due to lockdown and quarantine measures, the Covid19 pandemic affected women more than men as the workload has increased both in the workplace and at home. Globally, 70 per cent of the health workforce is made up of women, the majority of whom are frontline health workers. Several countries have experienced an exponential increase in cases of domestic violence after the outbreak of the pandemic. Lack of adequate family and emotional support can increase women's risk of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ultimately, this increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in women.

Due to the pandemic, women's jobs are more vulnerable to crisis than men's jobs. The reason for this greater impact on women is that the virus is significantly increasing the burden of unpaid care, and this burden is borne by women. In the global pandemic, approximately 4.5 per cent of female employment is at risk, compared to 3.8 per cent of male employment.

Ways to reduce stress:

A personal health plan with an integrated recovery period and a self-care period can help women manage stress and have the ability to change to a healthy life. Exercising, practicing relaxation techniques, eating healthy, organizing leisure time, getting enough sleep, expressing emotions, and striving to develop healthy self-esteem and a positive attitude can greatly help improve a woman's health. However, the establishment of viable goals, the determination of the family work balance, the contact with the family and friends and the coexistence in the present are also key factors that affect the happiness of women. Professional women can organize work and lifestyle according to their needs to ensure a healthy and stress-free life.