Survey: Adults Most Stressed About 2020 Election, Health Care

A survey of 3,000 adults by the American Psychological Association finds that most report being stressed by the pending presidential race, health care and concerns about mass shootings.

Association Associate Executive Director Lynn Bufka says stress was measured on a scale of 1 to 10. Most reported being about 5 — "and they're saying that's higher than what they think is healthy."

"Now we're just trying to understand not only the level of stress that people in this country are experiencing, but also the kinds of things that are causing them stress and what people are doing to try to cope with that stress," Bufka said.

The survey found that more than half of U.S. adults identified the 2020 presidential election as a significant stressor, an increase from the 52% of adults who reported the election as a significant stressor in the months before the 2016 election.

Also, 7 in 10 in the survey reported health care is a significant source of stress.

And mass shootings were reported in the survey as the most prevalent source of stress cited by U.S. adults in 2019.

Bufka says younger generations in the survey reported more stress. Adults ages 18 to 22 were the most stressed, followed by Gen X, Millennials and Boomers.

She says they found the 18 to 22's were more stressed about getting into adulthood, paying bills, their first job and managing student loans.

Joe Cutter is the senior news anchor on New Jersey 101.5