Chronic Stress in Young German Adults: Who Is Affected? A Prospective Cohort Study

Ronald Herrera, Ursula Berger, Jon Genuneit, Jessica Gerlich, Dennis Nowak, Wolff Schlotz, Christian Vogelberg, Erika Von Mutius, Gudrun Weinmayr, Doris Windstetter, Matthias Weigl and Katja Radon
Additional contact information
Ronald Herrera: Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology and NetTeaching Unit, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich (LMU), 80336 Munich, Germany
Ursula Berger: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology-IBE, University of Munich (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany
Jon Genuneit: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Jessica Gerlich: Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology and NetTeaching Unit, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich (LMU), 80336 Munich, Germany
Dennis Nowak: Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine Medical Faculty Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany and German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 80336 Munich, Germany
Wolff Schlotz: Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, 60322 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Christian Vogelberg: Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Technical University Dresden, 01397 Dresden, Germany
Erika Von Mutius: Dr von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU Munich Munich, Germany and German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 80336 Munich, Germany
Gudrun Weinmayr: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Doris Windstetter: Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology and NetTeaching Unit, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich (LMU), 80336 Munich, Germany
Matthias Weigl: Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich (LMU), 80336 Munich, Germany
Katja Radon: Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology and NetTeaching Unit, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich (LMU), 80336 Munich, Germany

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-13

Abstract: We aimed to prospectively assess changes in chronic stress among young adults transitioning from high school to university or working life. A population-based cohort in Munich and Dresden (Germany) was followed from age 16–18 (2002–2003) to age 20–23 (2007–2009) ( n = 1688). Using the Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress, two dimensions of stress at university or work were assessed: work overload and work discontent. In the multiple ordinal generalized estimating equations, socio-demographics, stress outside the workplace, and job history were additionally considered. At follow-up, 52% of the population were university students. Work overload increased statistically significantly from first to second follow-up, while work discontent remained constant at the population level. Students, compared to employees, reported a larger increase in work overload (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.33; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.07, 1.67), while work discontent did not differ between the groups. In conclusion, work overload increases when young adults transition from school to university/job life, with university students experiencing the largest increase.

Keywords: work stress; longitudinal study; psychological effects; generalized estimation equations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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