Not only is chronic stress affecting our physical, mental and emotional health, it’s affecting our wallet and the wallet of employers. It’s becoming a “business” issue as chronic stress becomes the #1 health risk for employers. We simply cannot continue at this pace.
During the 20th Century, the burden of disease shifted quite significantly to be one from changes in our lifestyle. In the early 1900’s, Pneumonia and Tuberculosis were the leading causes of death in our culture. Since 2010, the leading causes of death are Heart Disease, Cancer, Medical Error, Respiratory Disease, Stroke and Diabetes. What’s the cause of these diseases? That has shifted too. It’s now Stress:
CDC has stated, “90 percent of visits to doctors are for stress-related illness with 60 percent of these being repeat visits”
AMA has stated, “85 percent of illness is caused by stress”
P.A. & Stress Institute Study stated, “Stress is one of leading causes of divorce, addictions, and weight gain/obesity
Not only is chronic stress affecting our physical, mental and emotional health, it’s affecting our wallet and the wallet of employers. It’s becoming a “business” issue as chronic stress becomes the #1 health risk for employers. We simply cannot continue at this pace.
As with many professions, we learn to tolerate burnout symptoms despite negative personal consequences to our overall health & well-being. However, in our discussion of chronic stress today, it’s important to highlight how it’s affecting the healthcare profession itself as well.
Burnout levels in healthcare professionals are exceeding the levels of any other professional group. Physicians have the highest rate of suicide among any profession. Roughly 10 percent to 15 percent of Physicians suffer from alcohol misuse which is slightly higher than that of the population as a whole. Recent data is beginning to reveal the likelihood of chronic stress and burnout in medical error (3rd leading cause of death) which now is affecting patient care and health. The system designed to maintain our health is as challenged as the people who rely on it.
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