Signed off with stress

Signed off with stress

More than 10 million working days are lost in Britain each year due to work related stress, according to Health and Safety Executive figures.

Each case of stress related ill-health leads to an average of 30 days off work and the cost of the problem on society is estimated to be in the region of £5 billion each year.

Stress in and out of the workplace will be debated this Monday night (January 16) at the first in the new series of Café Med - free public talks about health organised by the University of Aberdeen’s Public Engagement with Science team.

Professor Marie Johnston, Emeritus Professor of Health Psychology at the University, who founded the field of health psychology in Britain and set up one of the country’s first stress management clinics, and Dr Peter Murchie, a GP and Senior Lecturer in Primary Care at the University, are giving the Signed off with Stress talk, taking place between 6pm and 8pm at the Suttie Centre café at Foresterhill and open to all.

The causes of stress and the different ways the condition can manifest itself are among the issues being aired.

Professor Johnston, who conducts research on work-related stress, said: "It’s pertinent that our talk is taking place after Christmas which can be a stressful time for many.

"Stress can be caused by all sorts of factors and affect different people in different ways. Some people can get weepy; others can get worked up while stress causes other people to feel worn out."

Dr Murchie added: "There are a variety of different life events that can cause stress such as the death of a spouse, family breakdown, moving house, illness and unemployment. And in the work place it could be relations with a superior or subordinate.

"I hope our talk gets across the magnitude of the problem and how stress is a very real entity and that people shouldn’t be seen as skiving when they are signed off work with stress."

Café Med and the University’s Café Scientifique series are supported by a science engagement grant from the Scottish Government.

Dr Ken Skeldon, Head of the University’s Public Engagement with Science team, added: "Stress is a particularly interesting topic to be launching our series with as many of us will know someone affected or may have personal experience of feeling under stress.

"This series of Café Med will also feature talks about research underway at the University into dementia as well as pioneering work being done by scientists who are exploring the use of stem cells as a treatment for osteoarthritis.

"The use of telemedicine in remote areas and an insight into how physicists and ophthalmologists are working together on eye disease are also on this season’s programme which should have something for everyone."

Full details of the cafe discussion events can be viewed at www.cafescienceaberdeen.co.uk/

Search News

Browse by Month

2024

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2024
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2024
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2024
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2024
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2024
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2024
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2024
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2024
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2024

2004

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2004
  12. Dec

2003

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2003

1999

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 1999
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 1999
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

1998

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 1998
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 1998
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 1998
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 1998
  12. Dec