Assess level of stress among working and non-working women residing in selected areas in a view to develop an information booklet

Satish N. Choure

M.Sc. Nursing (Psychiatric Nursing), Symbiosis College of Nursing, Lavale, Pune, M.S, India.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: mr.satishchoure3@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

Assess level of stress among working and non-working women residing in selected areas in a view to develop an information booklet. Objectives: 1. To assess level of stress among working women. 2. To assess level of stress among non-working women. 3. To compare the level of stress among working and non-working women. Material and Methods: The research approach adopted in this study is Evaluatory approach. Non-experimental descriptive comparative research design was used. The sample were selected by non-probability convenient sampling technique sample size was 120 (60working women and 60 non-working women). Results: 1. 85% of the working women had severe stress (score 18-25) and 15% of them had moderate stress (Score 26-33). 2. 35% of the non-working women had severe stress (score 18-25) and 65% of them had moderate stress (Score 26-33). 3. Average stress score in employed women was 22.5 which was 26.2 in unemployed women. Z-value for this test was 7.8 with 118 degrees of freedom. Corresponding p-value was small (less than 0.05), the null hypothesis is rejected. The stress level among working is significantly more than that in non-working women. Conclusion: The stress level among working is significantly more than that in non-working women.

KEYWORDS: Women, Information booklet.

INTRODUCTION:

Researcher Believes ‘A woman under stress is not immediately concerned with finding solutions to her problems but rather seeks relief by expressing herself and being understood; It is not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.’

The word “stress” is derived from a Latin word “stringers” that means, “to bind tight” and it is the shortened form of distress, which denotes noxious human experience. Stress is a term that is widely used in everyday life with most people having some appreciation about its meaning. Commonly it is believed to occur in situation where there is excessive pressure being placed on some one.

Shruti S, Dr. Mamta J, Kiran A, Archana S. (2017): The present investigation was Conducted to examine the stress among the working and non-workingwomen’ s. It was hypothesized that the working women has more stress than the non- working women’ s. In order to verify the above hypothesis a sample of 100 women were taken. From which working women (N= 50) and nonworking women (N= 50). This study has found out that working women have significantly higher level of stress than non-working women.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

1. Harilala A, Santhosh VA. (2017). A comparative study on the stress levels of women in this dual role of housewife and working woman becomes significant. The study explores the stresses faced by women in society.

participated in the study. Working women with SSLC (14.4%), plus two (17.80%), graduation (34.4%), post- graduation (33.3%) and housewives with SSLC (40%), plus two (24.4%), graduation (26.7%), post-graduation (8.9%) participated in the study. 8.9% of working women belonged to the upper middle class, 85.6% to the middle class and 5.6% to the lower middle class. 8.9% of the housewives belonged to the upper middle class, 15.6% to the middle class and 84.4% to the lower middle class. Where employment status of the husband is concerned, in the case of working women, 34.4% were working in the government sector and 45.6% in the private sector. 17.8% were self-employed and 2.2% were unemployed. With respect to husbands of housewives, 7.8% worked in the government sector, 45.6% in the private sector and 46.7% were self-employed. (01)

2. Ahemad LS. (2010) A comparative study was Conducted to assess the influence of family environment on the life stress of the working women of public and private sector. The purpose of the study is to find effect of life stress on family environment in working woman. The sample of 300 working women taken from public & private sector institution. The findings found that there is more effect of stress on working women on private sector as compare to public sector working women for this purpose, life stress scale and family environment scale were used. The working women in private sector had scored significantly higher on the family/social, mental/physical, educational and economic stresses than the working women in public sector and the nonworking women and again the working women in public sector scored significantly higher on all the four subscales of the life stress scale and the obtained difference between these two groups is also significant. Similarly non- working women have lowest scores on the life stress scale, as they do not have dual roles to play, they have only family responsibilities to run and as a result, they do their home tasks more efficiently as they do not have strains of dual roles. (02)

3. Mukhopadhyay S. (2009) A study Conducted on Working status and stress of middle class women of Calcutta. In India an increase in female employment outside the home has occurred during the last few decades, especially in urban areas. This study compares a group of working mothers with their non- working counterparts with respect to (a) stress level, measured in terms of their anxiety score; and (b) certain general indicators of health including a broad measure of stress. The results show that anxiety and health scores of the two groups of women are similar. A working woman may face difficulties in attempting to fulfil the demands of both worlds, at home and outside, while a housewife may feel tired and irritated with her household chores and financial dependence. All these may cause stress for these groups of women. Further, the health score and anxiety score seem to be correlated, more clearly among the working mothers. (03)

4. Scand J. (2006) A study on Workload, work stress, and sickness absence in Swedish male and female white- collar employees. This study aimed to analyse, in a homogeneous population of highly educated men and women, gender differences in self-reported sickness absence as related to paid and unpaid work and combinations of these (double exposure), as well as to perceived work stress and work-home conflict, i.e. conflict between demands from the home and work environment. A total of 743 women and 596 men, full- time working white-collar employees randomly selected from the general Swedish population aged 32-58, were assessed by a Swedish total workload instrument. Contrary to what is normally seen, conflict between demands did not emerge as a risk factor for sickness absence for women, but for men. These women were mainly in top-level positions and therefore we conclude that men and women in these high-level positions seem to share household burdens more evenly, but they can also afford to employ someone to assist in the household. (04)

5. Michelle A. (2010) A study was Conducted in Brigham Women Hospital, Boston on health women for a period of 10 years revels that, Women with high job strain are 40% more likely to suffer from cardio vascular diseases, including heart attacks and heart blocks. The study indicates that there are both immediate and long term clinically documented cardiovascular health effects of job strain in women. The researchers analysed 17,415 health women who participated in the land mark women study. They were mostly health professionals and almost at the age of 57 average. It is clearly estimated that the job in men and women positively and negatively affect health, making it important to pay attention to the stress of the job. (05)

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The research approach adopted in this study is Evaluatory approach. The study design was Non- experimental descriptive comparative design. The sample were selected by Non-probability convenient sampling technique sample size was 120 samples (60 working women and 60 non-working women). According to the objectives, a tool was prepared. The tool consists of demographic data of working and non- working women and a likert scale to assess stress.

Variables: Attributed variables- 1. Level of stress. 2. Level of self-esteem. The study was conducted in community areas of Pune in Maharashtra state. The data collection was as follows – data was collected by using likert scale, data was analyzed in terms of frequency and percentage. After data collection Information booklet on comprising information about ‘how to cope up with stress, was provided to samples.

RESULT:

The data was analyzed by using inferential and descriptive statistics on the basis of objectives.

Table No. 1: Analysis of data related to the level of stress among working women. N=60

Stress	Working women
Stress	Freq	%
Very Severe (Score 10-17)	0	0.0%
Severe (Score 18-25)	51	85.0%
Moderate (Score 26-33)	9	15.0%
Mild (Score 34-40)	0	0.0%

85% of the working women had severe stress (score 18-

25) and 15% of them had moderate stress (Score 26-33).

Table No. 2: Analysis of data related to the level of stress among non-working women. N=60

Stress	Non-working women
Stress	Freq	%
Very Severe (Score 10-17)	0	0.0%
Severe (Score 18-25)	21	35.0%
Moderate (Score 26-33)	39	65.0%
Mild (Score 34-40)	0	0.0%

35% of the non-working women had severe stress (score 18-25) and 65% of them had moderate stress (Score 26- 33).

Fig No. 2: Stress level of non-working women N=60

Fig No 1: Stress level of working women N=60

Table No. 3: Analysis of data related to comparison of the level of stress between working and non-working women. N=120

Stress	Working women		Non-working women
Stress	Freq	%	Freq	%
Very Severe (Score 10-17)	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Severe (Score 18-25)	51	85.0%	21	35.0%
Moderate (Score 26-33)	9	15.0%	39	65.0%
Mild (Score 34-40)	0	0.0%	0	0.0%

85% of the working women had severe stress (score 18-

25) and 15% of them had moderate stress (Score 26-33). 35% of the non-working women had severe stress (score 18-25) and 65% of them had moderate stress (Score 26- 33). This indicates that the stress level among working women is higher than that in non-working women.

Fig. No. 3: level of stress among working and non-working women N=120.

Mean

SD

z

df

p-value

Employed women

22.5

2.8

7.8

118

0.000

Unemployed women

26.2

2.3

Table No. 4: Two sample z-test for comparison of compare stress in working and non-working women. N=120

Researcher applied two sample z-test for comparison of stress in working and non-working women. Average stress score in employed women was 22.5 which was

26.2 in unemployed women. Z-value for this test was 7.8 with 118 degrees of freedom. Corresponding p-value was small (less than 0.05), the null hypothesis is rejected. The stress level among working is significantly more than that in non-working women.

REFERENCES:

1. A-comparative-study-on-stress-levels-among-working-women-and-housewives-with-reference-to-the-state-of-kerala-harilal-a-santhosh-v-a.pdf available from https//epp-journal.nmims.edu/wp- content/uploads/2017/april.

2. Dr. Ahemad LS. A Comparative Study of the influence of family environment on the life stress of the working women of public and private sector. International Referred Research Journal: October 2010; ISSN-0974-2832. Vol II. (Issue 21).

3. Mukhopadhyay S. Working status and stress of middle-class women of Calcutta. Journal of Mental health Nursing: March 2009; 718-724. PMID-2925695.

4. Scand J. Work load work stress and sickness absence in Swedish male and33. Chaturvedi N. 23 Jan 2018, Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor Tree) Taxomony, Description & Medicinal Uses female. Journal of Public health: 2006; 34(3) 238-46. PMID- 16754581.

5. Dr. Michelle A. Job Strain is bad for womenhearts. The Times of India, Bangalore Edition: November 15. 2010; Article-1.

Received on 15.06.2021 Modified on 30.06.2021

Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2021; 9(4):373-375.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2652.2021.00085