A recent study published in JAMA Network open reported that persistent levels of stress traumatic life events can lead to cardiovascular illnesses. The researchers from the University of Gothenburg investigated the connection between heart attacks and stroke with high-stress levels.
How the researchers conducted the study
The study authors focused on a target population of 118,706 respondents residing in twenty-one countries. Volunteers were from four high economies, twelve middle economies, and five low economy nations.
In addition, the study focused on respondents aged between 31- 70 years. The study authors then inquired about the respondent’s livelihood while asking questions about their sources of stress.
The questions asked focused on sources of stress that the respondent experimented with the previous year. The respondents utilized the terms anxious, nervous, and others to answer.
Most of them could relate their experiences to certain factors such as unemployment or a terminal illness in the family. To compile an extensive report, the study authors ranked stress levels from zero to three. Zero is translated to less stress, while three relates to extreme stress levels.
A portion of the respondents had experienced high levels of stress
The study revealed that at least 7.3% of the respondents were, at some point, a victim of serious stress level situations. The authors also discovered that 18.4% experienced medium stress levels, and 49% had not experienced any stress levels in the previous year. The authors also revealed that 29.4% had exposure to low-stress situations.
The respondents who had fallen victims to the high-stress levels were slightly young. Furthermore, they were identified by various risk factors such as abdominal obesity, among others.
The study authors then placed tabs on each respondent who participated in the study. The authors recorded several health complications during this period, such as heart failures and others.
Despite efforts by the researchers, the study cannot issue specific answers like whether the type of nation affected the respondents’ stress levels or economic class. The study, however, includes the studying of aspects that might be crucial even in countries with less understanding of stress than the high economy western countries.
