 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|
The Many Sources of Stress and the Hassles of Daily LifeOlder people experience much less stress than any other demographic group
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- We live in a world with many sources of stress, with many things to do and to worry about. These include the pressures of life at work and at home, problems with money, health, loneliness, children and privacy. When shown a list of 14 different "hassles" which tend to be associated with stress the hassles which are experienced by the largest numbers of people are related to money (rising prices, 74%; concerns about money for emergencies, 53% and not having enough money for basic necessities, 36%); having too many things to do (56%); having trouble sleeping (53%); concerns about health (43%); and the illness of a family member (36%). Many, but fewer, people say they experienced having too much information to process at any one time (33%), feeling lonely (29%) or problems at work (24%). And, of course, some people experience many more hassles, and experience much more stress than others. These are some of the results of a nationwide survey of 2,747 adults surveyed online between September 7 and 13, 2006. Variations among different demographic groups Analysis of the results of this survey shows that different demographic groups experience more or less, and different sources of, stress. The one group that stands out as having much less stress than all of the others is older adults (9% of "matures", aged 61 and older, report experiencing a lot of stress in their lives, compared to 25% or more of other generations). While "baby boomers" (aged 42 to 60), like those younger than them are subject to many sources of stress, the matures are much less stressed. They are by a wide margin less likely to worry about having too many things to do, to have concerns about money for emergencies or basic necessities, to feel that they have too much information to process at anyone time or (and this may be a surprise) to feel lonely. Indeed, the younger the people are, the more likely they are to experience loneliness. Those who say they have been lonely in the last month include 45 percent of "echo boomers" (aged 18 to 29), 31 percent of "generation Xers" (aged 30 to 41), 24 percent of baby boomers and 18 percent of matures. There are many other differences between different demographic groups. For example: -- Unsurprisingly, those with low household incomes are much more likely
to experience problems with rising prices and to have concerns about
money for emergencies and basic necessities. On the other hand, those
with higher household incomes are more likely to feel that they have
too many things to do, to have problems at work or have problems with
aging parents.
-- Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered (GLBT) are more likely than
heterosexuals to have concerns about their health or to worry about
money and to be lonely.
-- People with disabilities experience more stress and more hassles than
other people in relation to money, sleeping, health and loneliness.
Hassles are highly correlated with feeling stressed
The survey finds very strong associations between almost all of the 14 hassles and feeling stressed. For example: -- Fully 80 percent of those who experience a lot of stress say that they
have had too many things to do in the last month. This falls to only 29
percent of those who do not experience much stress.
-- Fully 76 percent of those who experience a lot of stress say they had
trouble sleeping compared to only 29 percent of those with little
stress.
-- Fully 71 percent of those who have a lot of stress say they
experienced concerns about money for emergencies in the last month
compared to only 30 percent among those whose lives are not much
stressed.
A recent survey(1) published in The Journal of the American Medical Association compared the health status of comparable groups (middle-aged whites) in England and the United States and found that Americans were much more likely than their English counterparts to suffer from seven common diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer. The research did not set out to explain these differences. However, one hypothesis is that Americans tend to experience more stress than the English. And, of course, a growing body of research has reported that increased stress is associated with higher incidence of a number of common diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. TABLE 1
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED 14 "HASSLES" IN THE LAST MONTH
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?"
Base: All Adults
September 2000 2002
2006
% % %
Rising prices 74 77 69
Too many things to do 56 57 62
Trouble sleeping 53 N/A N/A
Concerns about money for emergencies 53 51 51
Concerns about health in general 43 48 47
Illness of a family member 36 42 37
Not enough money for basic necessities 36 33 35
Too much information to process at one time 33 N/A N/A
Being lonely 29 18 15
Problems with your work, boss or fellow workers 24 22 20
Problems with aging parents 21 22 23
Frequent or excessive noise 20 17 18
Problems with my children 19 N/A N/A
Abuse of your personal privacy 13 15 18
Average Score (see note 3) 35 34 33
Notes:
1. The 2000 and 2002 surveys were conducted by telephone, while this
survey was conducted online
2. The question asked in 2000 and 2002 was slightly different. "Please
tell me if (read item) has affected you in the last month or not?"
3. Average score is based on the 12 items which were asked in all three
surveys.
TABLE 2A
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED 14 HASSLES - BY GENERATION AND GENDER
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?"
Those saying "Yes"
Base: All Adults
Generation Gender
Total Echo Gen X Baby
Boomers Boomers Matures Male Female
(18-20) (30-41) (42-60) (61+)
% % % % % % %
Rising prices 74 66 79 75 74 70 77
Too many things to do 56 70 66 59 27 54 58
Trouble sleeping 53 53 62 55 41 46 60
Concerns about money
for emergencies 53 51 65 60 28 46 59
Concerns about health
in general 43 40 42 45 41 37 48
Illness of a family
member 36 36 33 39 36 33 39
Not enough money for
basic necessities 36 38 50 38 17 31 41
Too much information
to process at one
time 33 43 38 34 18 29 37
Being lonely 29 45 31 24 18 26 32
Problems with my work,
boss or fellow
workers 24 32 28 28 5 26 22
Problems with aging
parents 21 16 20 30 10 20 21
Frequent or excessive
noise 20 29 22 19 11 20 20
Problems with my
children 19 9 26 24 14 14 24
Abuse of my personal
privacy 13 15 11 14 9 13 12
TABLE 2B
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED 14 HASSLES - BY RACE AND PARTY
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?"
Those saying "Yes"
Base: All Adults
Total Race Party ID
White Black Hispanic Republican Democrat Independent
% % % % % % %
Rising
prices 74 74 77 75 65 80 75
Too many
things to
do 56 56 53 58 56 56 54
Trouble
sleeping 53 54 53 54 50 57 50
Concerns
about
money for
emergencies 53 51 68 52 47 55 53
Concerns
about
health in
general 43 42 51 39 36 47 43
Illness of
a family
member 36 35 45 40 34 40 37
Not enough
money for
basic
necess-
ities 36 33 53 44 31 40 33
Too much
information
to process
at one
time 33 33 25 42 31 37 30
Being
lonely 29 30 25 31 25 31 28
Problems
with my
work, boss
or fellow
workers 24 24 22 22 24 25 22
Problems
with aging
parents 21 19 26 25 19 23 22
Frequent or
excessive
noise 20 20 17 20 18 19 22
Problems
with my
children 19 20 23 21 17 20 19
Abuse of my
personal
privacy 13 10 16 14 10 13 15
TABLE 3A
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED 14 HASSLES - BY INCOME
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?"
Those saying "Yes"
Base: All Adults
Income
Total $15K- $25K- $35K- $50K-
$24.9K $34,9K $49,9K $74,9K $75K+
% % % % % %
Rising prices 74 89 79 78 74 66
Too many things to do 56 52 53 58 59 62
Trouble sleeping 53 56 61 57 48 51
Concerns about money for
emergencies 53 71 66 58 56 41
Concerns about health in
general 43 50 52 42 40 37
Illness of a family member 36 41 38 32 35 37
Not enough money for basic
necessities 36 61 51 43 32 21
Too much information to
process at one time 33 33 31 36 33 36
Being lonely 29 34 31 33 23 22
Problems with my work,
boss or fellow workers 24 19 21 27 25 30
Problems with aging
parents 21 17 21 18 19 28
Frequent or excessive
noise 20 23 24 22 19 19
Problems with my children 19 19 23 25 21 19
Abuse of my personal
privacy 13 13 14 13 9 12
TABLE 3B
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED 14 HASSLES - BY SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND DISABILITY
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?"
Those saying "Yes"
Base: All Adults
Sexual Disabilities
Total Orientation
LGBT Heterosexual People with People without
Disabilities Disabilities
% % % % %
Rising prices 74 74 74 80 69
Too many
things to do 56 63 56 53 56
Trouble
sleeping 53 55 54 63 49
Concerns about
money for
emergencies 53 62 53 59 48
Concerns about
health in
general 43 57 42 58 34
Illness of a
family member 36 45 36 42 29
Not enough
money for
basic
necessities 36 53 36 42 33
Too much
information to
process at one
time 33 34 34 37 31
Being lonely 29 46 28 37 25
Problems with
my work, boss
or fellow
workers 24 25 24 18 26
Problems with
aging parents 21 28 21 21 16
Frequent or
excessive
noise 20 33 20 22 19
Problems with
my children 19 16 20 24 18
Abuse of my
personal
privacy 13 17 12 13 11
TABLE 3C
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED 14 HASSLES - BY CHILDREN AND EMPLOYMENT
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?"
Those saying "Yes"
Base: All Adults
Children Employment
Total Household Household
with without Employed Not
Children Children Employed
% % % % %
Rising prices 74 77 72 73 74
Too many things to do 56 71 49 65 42
Trouble sleeping 53 59 50 53 54
Concerns about money
for emergencies 53 64 47 58 45
Concerns about health
in general 43 40 44 41 46
Illness of a family
member 36 37 36 35 40
Not enough money for
basic necessities 36 45 32 38 34
Too much information
to process at one time 33 43 28 38 26
Being lonely 29 27 30 29 28
Problems with my work,
boss or fellow workers 24 27 22 35 6
Problems with aging
parents 21 22 20 23 17
Frequent or excessive
noise 20 22 19 22 17
Problems with my
children 19 32 13 20 18
Abuse of my personal
privacy 13 13 12 14 11
TABLE 4
HOW MUCH STRESS PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR LIFE
"How much stress is in your life?
Base: All Adults
Total
%
A lot 23
Some 47
Not too much 27
None at all 3
TABLE 5
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED "A LOT" OF STRESS - DEMOGRAPHIC VARIATIONS
%
All Adults 23
AGE
Echo Boomers (18-29) 29
Gen. X (30-41) 28
Baby Boomers (42-60) 25
Matures (61+) 9
GENDER
Male 18
Female 29
RACE/ETHNICITY
White 23
Black 16
Hispanic 29
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Less than $15,000 25
$15,000 - $24,999 23
$25,000 - $34,999 29
$35,000 -$49,999 24
$50,000 - $74,999 21
$75,000 or more 23
DISABILITY
People with disabilities 27
People without disabilities 19
CHILDREN
Households with children 30
Households with no children 20
PARTY IDENTIFICATION
Republican 22
Democrat 22
Independent 24
TABLE 6
CORRELATION BETWEEN EXPERIENCE OF "HASSLES" AND SENSE OF STRESS
"Have you experienced the following in the past month?
Those saying "Yes"
Base: All Adults
Amount of Stress
All Not Too
Adults A Lot Some Much/
None
At All
% % % %
Rising prices 74 81 76 64
Too many things to do 56 80 61 29
Trouble sleeping 53 76 57 29
Concerns about money for
emergencies 53 71 59 30
Concerns about health in general 43 65 42 25
Illness of a family member 36 47 38 25
Not enough money for basic
necessities 36 55 40 17
Too much information to process
at one time 33 58 32 16
Being lonely 29 47 29 14
Problems with your work, boss or
fellow workers 24 39 26 10
Problems with aging parents 21 28 22 12
Frequent or excessive noise 20 34 19 10
Problems with my children 19 36 17 10
Abuse of your personal privacy 13 20 12 7
Methodology
The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between September 7 and 13, 2006 among 2,747 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting. With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided. With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 2,747 adults one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-2 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. J W28939 Q 900, 902 Harris Interactive Inc. 10/06 The Harris Poll(R) #75, October 6, 2006 By Humphrey Taylor, Chairman of The Harris Poll About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/. To become a member of the Harris Poll Online, visit http://go.hpolsurveys.com/HarrisPoll. Press Contact: Michelle Soto Harris Interactive 585-214-7665 (1) Michael Marmot et al, May 3rd, 2006Website: http://go.hpolsurveys.com/HarrisPoll Website: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ |
Issuers of news releases and not PR Newswire are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Terms and conditions, including restrictions on
redistribution, apply.
Copyright © 1996-2003 PR Newswire Association LLC.
All Rights Reserved.
A United Business Media company.
