Influence of work life issues on the health status of working women

Background: Satisfying socio-psychological needs and economic necessity has forced women into workforce.  They create balance between work and family responsibilities; this is feared to cause physical and mental exhaustion leading to health impairment. Methodology: Study proposes to analyze impact of work life issues on health status of working women. 400 working women, aged 25 to 40 years participated, personal and familial information work life issues, general health status, menstrual health, depression, anxiety and stress were assessed. Based on Work life issues subjects were classified into low, moderate and high levels. Results: Working women faced difficulties in carrying out the dual roles, 29 and 32 % claimed to sacrifice for the sake of job and family respectively. 55% attained role satisfaction. 76% women experienced menstrual problems: heavy bleeding (27%). dysmenorrhea (55%) and missing of periods (12%). Women experienced three levels of work life issues, low, moderate and high, 52 ad 46% women encountered low and moderate levels. Women in high level had more health problems. A strong positive correlation was found between work life issues and general health problems, pre-menstrual symptoms, and depression (P=u003c0.0001). Depression, anxiety and stress exhibited positive correlation with general health problems and premenstrual symptoms (P=0.0001). Conclusion: Demands arising from work and family domains create burden on women, and is major cause for health impairment, psychological distress and dissatisfaction