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A population-based study on ways of dealing with daily stress: comparisons among individuals with mental disorders, with long-term general medical conditions and healthy people

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Abstract

Objective

Stress plays an important role in the etiology of mental and physical disorders. The effect of stress on health may be moderated by how people deal with stress. The objectives of this analysis were to (1) estimate the population proportions using various ways of dealing with stress in healthy people, in people with mental disorders and substance dependence and in individuals with general medical conditions only, and (2) identify factors associated with ways of dealing with stress.

Methods

Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Mental Health and Well-being (CCHS-1.2) were used (n = 36,984). This was a national mental health survey which used a probability sample and incorporated a version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Results

Participants with mental disorders differed from healthy people in ways of dealing with stress. Among participants with mental disorders, women were more likely to report that they “talk to others” and “eat more/less” to deal with stress. Men were more likely to use “avoid people” and “drink alcohol” to deal with stress than women. Age differences within groups in ways of dealing with stress were found and having a history of mental disorders was also associated with reported ways of dealing with stress.

Conclusions

Ways of dealing with stress differ by gender and age, but there is no over-arching pattern of maladaptive coping associated with mental disorders that applies across illness, age and gender categories. Healthy behaviors should be promoted as ways to relieve stress, leading to better self-care skills.

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Acknowledgments

The research and data analysis are done using the data from Statistics Canada. However, the opinions and views expressed do not represent those of Statistics Canada. This analysis was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. Wang holds a New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. Patten is a Health Scholar with the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medial Research and a Fellow with the Institute of Health Economics. Dr Beck held a Fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a Clinical Fellowship from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research at the time of this study. Dr. Maxwell is funded by a New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute on Aging and a Population Health Investigator Award from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and she is a Fellow with the Institute of Health Economics in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Correspondence to JianLi Wang.

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Wang, J., Keown, LA., Patten, S.B. et al. A population-based study on ways of dealing with daily stress: comparisons among individuals with mental disorders, with long-term general medical conditions and healthy people. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 44, 666–674 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0482-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0482-2

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