Chronic Stress Can Lead to Long Term Health Consequences
Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO, American Psychological Association
(Washington D.C., Wednesday, January 24, 2018) – The American Psychological Association (APA) has released its “Stress in America Survey.” Two-thirds of U.S. adults (66 percent) cite the cost of health insurance as a stressor for themselves and their loved ones, when asked about specific health issues that cause them stress. This stress about the cost of health insurance seems to affect Americans at all income levels.
In addition, more than six in 10 adults (63 percent) cite uncertainty about the future, both with their own health and that of others, as a source of stress. Insurance costs and looming uncertainty about the future are just two of the numerous causes of concern about health care, according to the American Psychological Association’s report, Stress in America: Uncertainty About Health Care.
Released today, the report takes a deeper look at how health and health care is affecting the stress levels of Americans. Sixty percent of American adults say personal health concerns or health problems affecting their family are a significant source of stress. Sixty-four percent of those with less than $50,000 in annual household income cite health insurance costs as a source of stress, while 69 percent of those with annual household incomes of $50,000 or more report stress from the cost of health insurance.
The survey also found that uninsured adults report significantly higher average stress levels of 5.6 (on a 10-point scale, where 1 is “little or no stress” and 10 is “a great deal of stress”) when compared with adults who have health insurance (4.7).