Report: Women with an academic degree at a particular risk to suffer mental strain at work
The link between the level of education and perceived mental strain at work is markedly clearer and stronger among women than men. Compared to women with a post-comprehensive school qualification, women with a Master's degree have a 2.5 times higher risk of experiencing work-related mental strain.
Men find mental strain at work approximately the same independent of their educational background.
Examination of the risk of work-related mental strain in different occupational groups shows that the risk is the greatest among senior specialists.
Mental strain is caused the most by time pressure, limited opportunities to influence breaks and hours of work and the threat of violence.
Perceived physical strain at work is accounted for mainly by the line of work. The level of education has some significance: higher level education reduces the risk of perception of strain at work.
Occupations in the building industry and agriculture and forestry are found the most straining physically.
These findings come up from a recent survey conducted by Statistics Finland, commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The results are based on the Quality of work life surveys carried out in Statistics Finland in 1977–2013.
The purpose of this report is to create indicators based on which it is possible to follow developments in the mental and physical strain of work, and to map out which work-related factors play the biggest part in the perception of work-related strain.
Further information:
Päivi Mattila-Wiro, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 163 467, [email protected]
Report is available only in Finnish, but it includes English documentation page