Less Stress in Detroit, But Many Residents Report Stress-Linked Health Problems

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Nov 09, 2010, 12:30 ET

Majority of Detroit adults report a diagnosis of chronic health problems, APA survey says

DETROIT, Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Money, work and the economy are significant causes of stress for residents of Detroit, even though residents report slightly lower levels of stress in 2010 than in 2009, according to a survey released today by the American Psychological Association (APA) and conducted online by Harris Interactive in August 2010. But while residents report feeling less stress, the majority of residents surveyed report chronic health problems, and one-third say they don't have the willpower to make the necessary lifestyle changes recommended by their healthcare providers.

The survey shows that financial worries continue to be on the minds of Detroit residents. When asked if they feel better about their family's financial situation this year, only 27 percent say they believe things have improved from 2009 to 2010.

Even though fewer residents cite work (69 percent in 2010 vs. 77 percent in 2009) and the economy (70 percent vs. 72 percent) as a cause of stress this year, most residents report them—along with money (77 percent vs. 74 in 2009)—as a cause of their stress. The percentage of residents who say they feel a great deal of stress declined from one-third in 2009 (33 percent) to a quarter (25 percent). Only 37 percent report that their stress increased in the past year, compared to 61 percent in 2009.

Detroit residents are also feeling better at work in 2010. The number of adults who say they are tense or stressed out while at work fell from 53 percent in 2009 to 38 percent this year. And more adults would recommend their workplace to others (58 percent in 2010 vs. 47 percent in 2009).

However, the survey numbers show that the majority of Detroit adults have reported a diagnosis of a chronic health problem, such as high blood pressure (33 percent), high cholesterol (30 percent) and obesity (28 percent). Nearly half of adults have been told by a healthcare provider that they need to exercise more (44 percent) or lose weight (48 percent).

While significantly fewer adults this year say that stress gets in the way of making recommended lifestyle changes (4 percent in 2010 vs. 26 percent in 2009), lack of willpower is cited by 33 percent of residents as a barrier to making changes.

"It's good news to see that fewer people in the region are reporting such high levels of stress, especially since we know there is a strong connection between chronic stress and serious health problems, " said Josephine D. Johnson, Ph.D., a Detroit-area psychologist. "But it's also alarming that so many people report health problems and that they struggle with adopting the necessary lifestyle changes that can improve their health."

At a national level, the annual Stress in America survey shows that Americans appear to be caught in a vicious cycle where they manage stress in unhealthy ways, and lack of willpower and time constraints impede their ability to make lifestyle or behavioral changes. In general, Americans recognize that their stress levels remain high and exceed what they consider to be healthy.

The national survey also found that while reported stress levels across the nation remain similar to last year, fewer adults report being satisfied with the ways that their employer helps employees balance work and personal life demands, and in general, concern about job stability is on the rise.

To read the full report on Detroit and the United States, visit www.stressinamerica.org.

Stress in America is part of APA's Mind/Body Health public education campaign. For additional information on stress and lifestyle and behavior, visit www.apa.org/helpcenter and read the campaign blog www.yourmindyourbody.org. Join the conversation about stress on Twitter by following @apahelpcenter and #stressAPA. Get your questions answered on November 10 at 2:00 p.m. EST for a live chat with psychologists at www.facebook.com/americanpsychologicalassociation.

Methodology

The Stress in America Survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association between August 3 and 27, 2010, of 1,134 adults aged 18+ who reside in the U.S. In addition, an oversample of 214 adults living in the Detroit MSA was collected. MSAs are a formal definition of metropolitan areas produced by OMB (Office of Management and Budget). These geographic areas are delineated on the basis of central urbanized areas —contiguous counties of relatively high population density. Counties containing the core urbanized area are known as the central counties of the MSA. Additional surrounding counties (known as outlying counties) can be included in the MSA if these counties have strong social and economic ties to the central counties as measured by commuting and employment. Note that some areas within these outlying counties may actually be rural in nature. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. To read the full methodology, visit www.stressinamerica.org.

The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.

Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

SOURCE American Psychological Association