Background Women`s life situations has dramatically changed in recent decades. Self-reported health in women has been reported significantly lower than in men in all age groups 18-70 years. In Sweden, the National Public Health Report 2005 showed that stressful work environments have become more common especially for women. The purpose of the study was to monitor trends in well-being and mental stress in the populations of 38- and 50-year-old women and to examine associations with socioeconomic position (SEP).
Subjects Population-based cohorts of 38- and 50-year-old women as a part of the Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg were invited in 1980, 2004 and 2016 to health examinations, with similar protocols on each occasion
Methods Cohort comparisons between three representative samples of 38- and 50-year-old women. Well-being (scale 1-7) and perceived mental stress (scale 1-6) based on questionnaires were the main outcomes studied in relation to time. Socioeconomic position (SEP) based on socio-occupational group, i.e. occupational and educational level combined were examined as correlates well-being and mental stress at different points in time.
Results Perception of good well-being increased in 50-year-old women between 1980 to 2016, but no significant time trends were seen in 38-year-old women. Perception of high mental stress increased between 1980 and 2016, for both 38-and 50-year-old women. Belonging to a low socio-occupational group was associated with lower perceived well-being in 1980 but not in 2016. Belonging to a low socio-occupational group was not associated with perceived mental stress at any examination.
Conclusions Contemporary women of today have generally higher perceptions of well-being and higher mental stress regardless of belonging to low or high socio-occupational group. Associations between poor well-being and belonging to a low socio-occupational group that were observed in 1980 disappeared in 2016.
Trial registration The Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg, Sweden was approved by the ethics committee of University of Gothenburg (Dnr 65-80; Ö564-03; 258-16). The studies comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and informed consent has been obtained from the subjects.