John Gormley
Question:185 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has statistics for the amount of illness which is stress related; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23171/02]
Vol. 557 No. 6
185 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has statistics for the amount of illness which is stress related; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23171/02]
The proportion of illness which is either directly or indirectly due to stress is not known. National statistics record, for example, detailed diagnosis data for episodes of hospitalisation but it is not possible to ascertain the extent to which stress may have been a contributory factor in the onset for each particular illness. Defining types of stress and levels of stress is complex and determining a causal relationship between stress and medical conditions poses further difficulties. Nevertheless, it is clear that high levels of stress have an adverse affect on health.
A number of studies at European Union level have provided measures of self-assessed levels of stress. In 1999, the Eurobarometer survey reported a figure of 39.1% for the percentage of people regularly feeling stressed. The corresponding figure for Ireland was 36.4%. The EUROSTAT labour force survey for 1998-99 included findings on work related health problems which indicated 1.2% of those surveyed reporting stress, anxiety or depression related problems at work. Of these, 38% reported absences from work of two weeks or more in the preceding 12 months due to these problems.