Break the Cycle: Analyzing the Impact of Work Status and Stress on Happiness
Disciplines
Public Health
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Happiness is one of the few things in this life that cannot be physically purchased, yet for many, pursuing it comes at a significant personal cost. Previous studies have highlighted the rising concerns about the cost of living and its detrimental impact on health and inequalities. This highlights the influence of often invisible external factors that gradually perpetuate a cycle of poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In this analysis, I explore external factors, such as work status and stress, and their combined impact on emotional wellbeing, specifically happiness.
The data used during this analysis consists of a dataset of 3000 respondents collected between 2019 and 2024. The data includes the following variables: country of the respondent, age of the respondent, gender, average hours of sleep per day, diet type/quality, exercise frequency, social interaction level, stress level, pre-diagnosis of a mental health condition, average hours of work per week, average hours of screen time per day, and happiness score. All these variables combined serve as indicators of HRQOL, specifically emotional wellness, occupational engagement, and life satisfaction. I hypothesize that those who work more hours per week combined with experiencing higher levels of stress will face heavier challenges with work-life balance; therefore, will experience lower happiness scores.
Univariate analysis reveals a nearly uniform distribution of stress levels across the sample, with each category representing roughly a third of respondents. Happiness scores revealed a normal distribution, while work hours ranged from 20-59 per week. Exploratory data analysis using scatter plots indicates a clear inverse relationship with lower stress levels associated with higher happiness scores. In contrast, no meaningful correlation was found between work hours and happiness, indicated by a near-zero Pearson correlation coefficient. Future research could explore possible interventions that target stress reduction to enhance happiness and overall HRQOL.
Use of AI Disclaimer
no
Academic department under which the project should be listed
WCHHS – Health Promotion and Physical Education
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Kevin Gittner
Break the Cycle: Analyzing the Impact of Work Status and Stress on Happiness
Happiness is one of the few things in this life that cannot be physically purchased, yet for many, pursuing it comes at a significant personal cost. Previous studies have highlighted the rising concerns about the cost of living and its detrimental impact on health and inequalities. This highlights the influence of often invisible external factors that gradually perpetuate a cycle of poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In this analysis, I explore external factors, such as work status and stress, and their combined impact on emotional wellbeing, specifically happiness.
The data used during this analysis consists of a dataset of 3000 respondents collected between 2019 and 2024. The data includes the following variables: country of the respondent, age of the respondent, gender, average hours of sleep per day, diet type/quality, exercise frequency, social interaction level, stress level, pre-diagnosis of a mental health condition, average hours of work per week, average hours of screen time per day, and happiness score. All these variables combined serve as indicators of HRQOL, specifically emotional wellness, occupational engagement, and life satisfaction. I hypothesize that those who work more hours per week combined with experiencing higher levels of stress will face heavier challenges with work-life balance; therefore, will experience lower happiness scores.
Univariate analysis reveals a nearly uniform distribution of stress levels across the sample, with each category representing roughly a third of respondents. Happiness scores revealed a normal distribution, while work hours ranged from 20-59 per week. Exploratory data analysis using scatter plots indicates a clear inverse relationship with lower stress levels associated with higher happiness scores. In contrast, no meaningful correlation was found between work hours and happiness, indicated by a near-zero Pearson correlation coefficient. Future research could explore possible interventions that target stress reduction to enhance happiness and overall HRQOL.