Stress is a bodily neurophysiological response to stressors triggered by everyday life experiences caused by different factors. There is much scientific literature devoted to the investigation of stress as a phenomenon that significantly impacts human physical and mental health. This paper summarizes and reflects on the article published by La Torre et al. in 2018 in the first issue of the fifteenth volume of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The article’s title is “Association between work related stress and health related quality of life: The impact of socio-demographic variables. A cross sectional study in a region of central Italy” (La Torre et al., 2018). This scientific study aimed to establish how workplace stress influences the health outcomes of different groups of individuals regarding the distinction in their gender, age, and level of education. The study was conducted with 611 recruited participants from Rome and Frosinone, Italy. The implications of the study allow for stating that the increased exposure to stress at work leads to worsened health of the stressed individuals.
When summarizing the article, one might emphasize that the study was conducted based on a hypothesis claiming the dependence of health on stress exposure. In particular, the scholars state that “workplace stress is the physical and emotional response that occurs when job demands are in conflict with the ability, resources or needs of the worker” that hinders well-being (La Torre et al., 2018, p. 1). It was a cross-sectional study conducted with the Italian representatives of a variety of professions to test whether there are differences between stress-related health outcomes among the representatives of different ages, gender, and education groups. The results indicate that a high job demand was more harmful to women’s physical and mental well-being than to men (La Torre et al., 2018). Moreover, age was found to be a significant factor in the relationship between work stress and health. In particular, younger workers’ stress exposure led to a substantial deterioration of mental health, while physical health was similarly dependent on stress influence across ages (La Torre et al., 2018). Overall, socio-demographic indicators alter the effect of stress on human health.
The information that I obtained from this article and the course material about stress has been insightful and useful for my future management of stress in my daily life. Indeed, I now understand that a multitude of stressors is the triggers of a mix of emotional and physical responses in my body, which hinders the performance of my immune system. In such a manner, the resistance to diseases weakens, and harm to health is caused. As I learned from the article, there are ways to mitigate the influence of stress on individuals by knowing their socio-demographic particularities. For example, to manage my exposure to stress, I would prioritize employment opportunities with high decision latitude to ensure less risk for stress. Moreover, I will practice meditation, therapy, and mindful reflection to manage my response to stressors and maintain good health.
Reference
La Torre, G., Sestili, C., Mannocci, A., Sinopoli, A., De Paolis, M., De Francesco, S., Rapaccini, L., Barone, M., Iodice, V., Lojodice, B., Sernia, S., De Sio, S., Del Cimmuto, A., De Giusti, M. (2018). Association between work related stress and health related quality of life: The impact of socio-demographic variables. A cross sectional study in a region of central Italy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(1), 1-9.