Noh Jin-Won, Kim Kyoung-Beom, Park Jumin, Hong Janghun, Kwon Young Dae
Department of Healthcare Management, Eulji University, Seongnam, Korea.
Global Health Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
PLoS One. 2017 Sep 8;12(9):e0184235. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184235. eCollection 2017.
Due to gendered inequalities in the division of domestic work, women with paid employment and family caregiving responsibilities can feel extremely tired with general distress and depression. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between the number of family members and stress level by gender among Korean adults using a nationally representative dataset.
We used a sample of 6,293 subjects aged 19 or older (3,629 female and 2,264 male) from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A multivariable logistic regression analysis with sociodemographic and health-related characteristics was conducted. Because there were gender differences, a stratified analysis was performed for each gender.
Age, number of family members, education level, occupational status, depression, self-rated health status, and chronic diseases were found to have a significant association with stress level in the study subjects (p<0.05). The probability of perceiving stress increased among females from family with two members (OR 1.521), three family members (OR 1.893), or four or more family members without spouse (OR 2.035) compared to those who live alone.
We found that unmarried women are more likely to be stressed as the number of family members increases. Gender expectations giving women the main responsibility for domestic and care work may become a source of stress. Reconciliation of family and work remains women's responsibility in Korea. As family problems are recently becoming a big issue, our study shows the importance of considering gender difference in studies on stress according to family roles and functions.
由于家务分工中的性别不平等，有带薪工作且承担家庭照料责任的女性可能会感到极度疲惫，并伴有一般困扰和抑郁情绪。因此，本研究旨在利用具有全国代表性的数据集，调查韩国成年人中家庭成员数量与按性别划分的压力水平之间的关联。
我们使用了来自第五次韩国国家健康与营养检查调查的6293名19岁及以上受试者的样本（女性3629名，男性2264名）。进行了一项包含社会人口统计学和健康相关特征的多变量逻辑回归分析。由于存在性别差异，对每个性别进行了分层分析。
研究对象的年龄、家庭成员数量、教育水平、职业状况、抑郁、自评健康状况和慢性病与压力水平存在显著关联（p<0.05）。与独自生活的女性相比，有两名家庭成员的家庭中的女性（比值比1.521）、有三名家庭成员的家庭中的女性（比值比1.893）或有四名或更多无配偶家庭成员的家庭中的女性（比值比2.035）感知压力的概率增加。
我们发现，随着家庭成员数量的增加，未婚女性更有可能感到压力。赋予女性承担家务和照料工作主要责任的性别期望可能成为压力源。在韩国，协调家庭和工作仍然是女性的责任。由于家庭问题最近正成为一个大问题，我们的研究表明在根据家庭角色和功能进行的压力研究中考虑性别差异的重要性。
