Abstract
This paper examines the interface between work stress and nonwork stress and how it relates to health. Results indicate that the way people feel at work is largely a function of conditions at work. Similarly, the way people feel outside of work is largely a function of things that occur outside the job. Both work and nonwork stress are independently associated with physical and mental health, although the relationship between nonwork stress and health is slightly stronger. Excessive demands or stresses in one domain can interfere with life in the other. Such conflict operates equally in both directions. When present it can be an added source of stress and adversely affect health. Taken together these findings suggest that the stress people experience at work is not simply a reflection of their “personal problems.” This has implications for the design of health promotion and stress prevention programs in the workplace.
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Preparation of this article has been supported by Grant 501AA06553 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Grant 5T32 MH16806 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The authors wish to acknowledge Ann Kinney for her assistance in data analysis and the members of the Worksite Stress and Wellness Committee for emphasizing, at the onset, the importance of examining both job and nonjob sources of stress in this project. We also thank Sue Andersen for her assistance in preparing this manuscript.