A recent study conducted by researchers at Emory University, the University at Albany, and Northern Arizona University has found a correlation between the political climate and the mental health of Georgia women. The study, published in Social Science and Medicine, surveyed 148 women between the ages of 18 and 40 in Georgia, measuring their stress levels in response to political events and assessing their symptoms of anxiety, depression, and overall stress.
The findings revealed that increased stress from politics was associated with negative mental health outcomes. The study participants, who were mostly college-educated liberals living in the metro Atlanta region, reported symptoms persisting beyond the results of a presidential election. One particularly stressful event noted by the researchers was the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to rescind national abortion protections, along with Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.
The authors suggest that these results highlight the importance of monitoring the mental health of women in the state, especially in the face of political decisions that may impact their wellbeing. Moving forward, the researchers hope to conduct further studies tracking women’s health and political engagement over time to better understand the long-term effects of political stress. In the meantime, the study serves as a call for clinicians to be vigilant in screening for mental health symptoms among women of reproductive age, particularly in a politically charged climate.
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