[Stress in working women. A survey study (author's transl)]

Stress problems have been far more rarely investigated in women than in men. Stress problems were investigated in a 20% random sample of 1033 working women aged from 20 to 65 years from 39 factories in north Switzerland, selected according to the random sample procedure. Of the 206 women, 36% admitted suffering very severe, severe or moderately severe stress at work. At home or in the family 16% were affected. Two thirds of these working women did not feel overburdened at work and three quarters with their families. Anxiety about employment was expressed by 12%, financial worries by 5%, and concern for health by 5% also. Around one third of these women had also undergone previous severe stress situations. In comparison with studies on stress in working men, it looks as though these women report stress less frequently, accept it less, repress or compensate it more.