Working women healthier !

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Very interesting article........Please read at your liesure.

Forwarded by Ashok Bhaskar 1984

Working Women: Healthier, Happier

Women's Health Better Than Ever, Even Better Than Men's

By Jeanie Lerche

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

on Friday, August 13, 2004

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Aug. 14, 2004 -- Working women: The headaches are worth it. By having it all,

you're giving yourself better health, a new study shows.

Flash back to the 1970s, when women were clawing their way toward equal

opportunity. Things have improved: There are more working women today. In fact,

they're working way past the 40-hour week. Plus, many are raising young

children.

Evidently, they're handling it well. Women's health is better than in the 1970s,

says Schnittker, PhD, a sociology professor at the University of

Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He is presenting his findings at the annual

meeting of the American Sociological Association.

“It is by now clear that women’s employment... did much to close the

long-standing gender gaps in physical health and, especially, psychological

distress,” Schnittker writes. “Many of these positive changes continue today.

Women’s employment rates continue to climb, women are seeking college diplomas

at much higher rates; and women are entering the professions more frequently

than in the past.”

But is women’s health threatened by having it all? Little research to date has

examined the effects of the “time bind” caused when women combine work with

family. Is having it all a good thing or not? That’s what his study examines.

Schnittker's snapshot is drawn from a nationwide sampling of nearly 16,000 women

and 21,000 men between ages 18 and 80. He asked men and women to rate their

health as “poor,” “fair,” “good,” or “excellent.” He also factored in their work

schedules, education, marital status, and job level.

Among his findings:

In 2000, 60% of the women were working, compared with 40% in 1974.

Nearly three times as many women -- 16% -- are working more than 40 hours a

week as in 1974.

More women with young children (under age 6) are working full-time: 7% in

2000, compared with 4% in 1974.

" Americans are working longer hours, and they're more stressed than ever

before, " Schnittker tells WebMD. " The husband is working full-time, the wife is

working full-time, and they are often raising a child. "

However, equal opportunity has not yet knocked on the couple's front door. Women

still do the lion's share of housework and child care. But that " time bind " --

so many things pulling at one's 24-hour-day -- isn't really taking a toll on

women's health, he says.

In fact, women were healthier in 2000 than ever before. When Schnittker crunched

all the numbers, he found that women had somewhat better health than men.

However, only employed women had better health.

However, having a small child at home complicated matters for women.

When their kids were very young, working women’s health suffered, says

Schnittker. But once the 6th birthday hadwas past, a woman’s health began

improving again. Men’s health is not impacted by the childcare responsibilities,

he explains.

It's when their kids are very young that women's health suffers, says

Schnittker. But once the sixth birthday is past, her health begins improving

again. Men's health is not affected during this period.

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Work Makes Life Productive

Despite these upward trends, working women’s health still could be better,

Schnittker adds.

The problem: " The gender gap in wages, " he tells WebMD. " We've always known

there was a link between income and good health. Women with lower income have

worse health. If they're not making enough, that alone affects their health

greatly. "

The health benefits women get from employment may come -- although by no means

entirely -- from the income it provides, he writes.

Even if she has health benefits, the benefits might not be great. She may have

high deductibles. She might not get the best doctors. Getting time off work for

doctor visits may be difficult. Also, does she have time to exercise? Does she

eat well?

" All those things factor into your health; they take a toll, " says Schnittker.

" And it's not simply a poverty issue. It affects women at all income levels. The

differences might be small, but they're still there. "

Neither longer work hours -- nor the combined long work hours of a spouse --

diminish the health benefits that employment provides, he adds. " Simply put,

women who are employed, regardless of the number of hours they work or how they

combine work with family obligations, report better health than do those who are

unemployed, " Schnittker writes.

Stress: Evidence You're Participating in Life

For all those stressors, leading a complex life helps people feel alive. It

makes them feel productive, needed. And it makes them happier, says Nadine

Kaslow, PhD, a psychologist and family counselor at Emory University School of

Medicine in Atlanta.

" There's no question, too much stress, whether it's home stress, work stress, or

conflicts between the two, can make your health worse if you don't take care of

yourself. But a lot of women find very creative ways to integrate it all. They

figure it out, and they do it well, " Kaslow tells WebMD.

Kaslow would like to see employers give more than lip service to the family

leave act. " We also need flexible work hours -- not just start and stop times,

but other hours in the day that parents need time off. When my kids are in a

school show, or when it's parents' day, I need to go. "

Women's health also benefits from time off for volunteer work, she says. " It

feels nurturing, and if it's something you care deeply about, something you're

passionate about, it simply feels good. It gives balance to your life. "

---------------------------------

SOURCES: American Sociological Association 99th Annual Meeting, San Francisco,

Aug. 14-17, 2004. Schnittker, PhD, professor of sociology, University of

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Nadine Kaslow, PhD, psychologist and family

counselor, Emory University School of Medicine.