Gender, Work Stress, and Health

Gender differences, a subject of fascination since the dawn of time, are the focus of Gender, Work Stress and Health, a book that examines how socially defined gender roles affect individuals' experience of stress and health at work. Editors Debra L. Nelson and Ronald J. Burke bring together an interdisciplinary set of prolific writers and researchers to explore the interplay of gender, individual differences, social support, coping skills, family dynamics, and aspects of the work environment, and how these affect health. This collection draws upon the emerging knowledge from management, psychology, sociology, and epidemiology. Among the questions examined are whether men and women experience different sources of stress at work, whether they experience different symptoms of distress, whether they benefit equally from social support, how they cope, and what organizations are doing to help. Professionals in human resources management, consulting, training and development, and occupational health will be particularly interested in the effectiveness of prevention and intervention efforts related to corporate culture, flexible workload arrangements, and whether family-friendly policies are fulfilling their promise of helping to balance work and family demands. Researchers in management, business, occupational psychology, sociology, and gender studies will find fertile areas for continued exploration within this intriguing field.