Physical and Mental Health Consequences of Work-Related Stress: A Comparative Study of Women and Men
Abstract: Work-related stress is a leading occupational health concern, and a substantial literature suggests its consequences differ between women and men. Most of that literature, however, establishes that a difference exists without identifying the mechanism responsible. This study examined the physical and mental health consequences of work-related stress among employed women and men, and tested whether differences persisted after psychosocial working conditions were controlled. A comparative cross-sectional design was adopted. Data were collected from 101 full-time employees aged 25-50 in Bengaluru, India; the analytical sample comprised 100 participants (50 women, 50 men). A 50-item instrument assessed perceived stress, working conditions, physical symptoms, emotional wellbeing and coping. Physical health and emotional wellbeing scales showed good reliability (alpha = .83 and .86). Five of six hypotheses were unsupported: women and men did not differ in perceived stress (p = .584, d = -0.11), physical symptoms (p = .986, d = 0.004) or emotional wellbeing (p = .575, d = 0.11), and gender did not moderate the stress-health relationship. One significant difference emerged: men reported greater problem-focused coping (p
Keywords: work-related stress, gender differences, occupational health, coping strategies, employee wellbeing
How to Cite?: Lavanya K R, "Physical and Mental Health Consequences of Work-Related Stress: A Comparative Study of Women and Men", Volume 15 Issue 10, October 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1340-1346, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR261020095702, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR261020095702