Abstract
The paper focuses on in-depth research into the triggers, causes, and possible solutions for treating and reducing the significant stress levels in modern society. It was highlighted that many spheres of human life should be addressed to identify which factors play a significant role in increasing stress. Consequently, the author of the research stressed basic aspects such as ethics, culture, and legal peculiarities.
For example, factors such as money, power, and control were considered. Moreover, the paper explores the physiological and psychological factors that may be vital to treatment design. One part of the research focuses on analyzing statistical data on the correlation between the study’s variables, including cultural, ethical, and other aspects. It was essential to understand how these points function in the modern world in the context of specific technologies such as Telehealth.
In addition, other statistics examine the connection between ethics and culture in minimizing societal stress. These numbers were obtained from various academic sources that studied aspects of stress mitigation, such as work-life balance, the person’s autonomy, the security of personal information, privacy, and others (McGuffin & Rivera, 2019). The answers to many questions regarding the topic’s peculiarities were constructed. For example, when exploring possible solutions and important steps towards stress minimization, it was important to understand the modern triggers and causes of increased stress levels (Flentje et al., 2020).
Therefore, one of the primary issues was the influence of people’s lifestyles and cultural traditions on their stress resistance and perceptions of potential treatments. The study highlighted the importance of both internal and external environments. It means that issues such as one’s private life, family, and working conditions directly impact stress. The proposals concern the qualitative management of all factors to combat stress.
Introduction
Various events impose significant adverse effects on people in terms of their mental and psychological state and well-being. External factors such as natural disasters, pandemics, difficult economic conditions in various countries, wars, and other issues are the main reasons for the worsening of humanity’s overall health. Modern life assumes many responsibilities that also bring external factors into the internal: personal aspects such as one’s family, relationships, friends, and others.
All of these combined create extreme pressure on the person’s nervous system and their way of thinking. The above-mentioned factors significantly influence both psychological and biological factors. Consequently, stress levels can be considered extremely high in contemporary society and are one of the major reasons for various diseases, as well as depression and suicidal outcomes.
The primary focus of the current research is to thoroughly understand the peculiarities of high-stress levels, their causes, and their influence on people’s lives. Moreover, the study aims to identify effective solutions by exploring possible technological methods and techniques to reduce stress. Numerous challenges in contemporary society serve as catalysts for elevated stress levels among individuals. Both internal factors, such as familial dynamics, and external factors, such as workplace environments, play critical roles. Identifying the paramount issue addressed in this study entails recognizing the high levels of stress modern individuals experience.
To effectively alleviate stress, it is imperative to explore diverse dimensions, including cultural and ethical considerations, to devise optimal interventions. Therefore, it was essential to state the paper’s hypothesis and the author’s aim for the results. Internal factors, such as families’ financial stability, and external factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, profoundly influence society’s capacity to manage stress.
Concurrently, certain individuals exhibit greater susceptibility to stress, whereas others demonstrate heightened resilience. Moreover, stress manifests in varying ways, with different impacts on individuals’ physical and psychological health. Hence, conducting research and analyzing primary patterns to pinpoint the primary stressors is effective for structuring data and formulating strategies to mitigate them.
The hypothesis posits the existence of a specific technological solution that complies with all ethical standards, provides sufficient support to the patient with respect to their culture and privacy, and minimizes stress. The paper argues that there is a direct correlation between economic, ethical, cultural, and genetic factors and one’s stress level. Moreover, developing effective treatments to address high stress levels in modern society requires unique approaches, including technological innovations such as Telehealth. To develop effective treatment practices that minimize stress in society, one should address factors in a person’s internal and external environments, with a focus on ethical, cultural, and legal issues.
Psychological and Physiological Aspects
The impact of stress on people can be understood by splitting it into psychological and physiological parts. When considering the adverse effects of stress and trying to find appropriate solutions as a treatment to mitigate it, many people stress the importance of exploring psychological issues. They assume that the direct impact of high stress levels is on one’s thinking process and the ability to act rationally and consciously.
However, it is necessary not to underestimate the physiological side of the question. Remarkably, stress alters people’s biological functioning and significantly worsens their physical health. For example, among the most crucial effects, changes in one’s nervous system should be mentioned (Minhat & Dzolkarnaini, 2021). The organism starts to realize the need to defend itself from potential external threats.
As a result, hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released to support the body during periods of stress. Notably, this process is followed by issues such as significant blood pressure, which can already be dangerous for some people. When trying to understand the adverse effects of this process, one should remember that people often develop specific diseases after experiencing high stress (Minhat & Dzolkarnaini, 2021). This is due to a reduction in the immune system’s potential.
Consequently, illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases and those connected with the patient’s mental health, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can occur after experiencing an extreme stress level (Hughes, 2023). It means that, in the process of finding the right treatment to mitigate stress in society, it is necessary to attend to both the psychological and physiological aspects of the body’s functioning.
Cultural and Social Factors of Stress Formation
As stated earlier, identifying potential solutions for the treatment process requires a thorough understanding of the problem’s causes. The study aims to consider additional factors, such as cultural backgrounds and social environments, that significantly influence people’s adaptability, perceptions of life, and attitudes toward medicine. This point is vital from both biological and psychological perspectives. First, culture shapes traditions that can foster specific attitudes toward medical approaches.
For example, many people whose cultural backgrounds emphasize traditional medicine rely solely on traditional methods, such as medicinal herbs. Their assumptions and perceptions have formed over many generations and cannot be abandoned immediately (Hughes, 2023). It means the nurse should be aware of this factor and recognize that it would be inappropriate to strive to implement innovative technological solutions to reduce these people’s high stress levels.
Second, the social environment is another essential issue encompassing aspects such as people’s relationships with one another, support, and healthcare priorities, and, last but not least, the presence or absence of discrimination, oppression, and prejudice (Minhat & Dzolkarnaini, 2021). All these points are closely correlated with the person’s mental health and psychological state. Healthcare specialists should thoroughly research the specific characteristics of the society before developing a treatment to minimize stress. Therefore, when creating a solution, it is vital to take into account the area’s specifications, its culture, background, and the society’s peculiarities to develop an effective treatment strategy.
Economic and Social Aspects of Stress Minimization
After understanding the psychological and physiological aspects, as well as cultural backgrounds and societal norms, the focus shifted to developing treatment methods. The research incorporates eight research questions that, when combined, provide the author with sufficient data on how stress in contemporary society should be treated (McGuffin & Rivera, 2019). Each question is connected to a particular issue, such as economic, cultural, genetic, and ethical aspects. After a thorough study of all of them, the potential solution to mitigate stress was highlighted.
High Stress Level and Changes in a Patient’s Genetic Level
Changes at the genetic level are among the most evident examples of how high stress can influence the entire patient’s organism. Remarkably, not only the current person but also their children can have many adverse effects. Before dividing strategies to mitigate stress levels in contemporary society, it is paramount to understand the negative health consequences of heightened stress.
Primarily, a significant impact can be observed at the molecular level, notably on DNA and hormonal functions. Specifically, stress can disrupt gene expression by inducing substantial changes in DNA methylation patterns (Horowitz & American Psychiatric Association, 2021). These findings were stated by the American Psychiatric Association, which underlines that the changes in one’s hormonal and physiological systems due to stress can have many crucial outcomes.
For instance, researchers discuss in their work the various alterations stress inflicts on human behavior, cognition, and perception of life (Smith & Pollak, 2020). It means that the chain triggered by stress can have long-term negative effects. For example, after experiencing a tragedy, the changes in the person’s thinking begin. After a particular period, such aspects as overthinking, depression, and panic attacks can occur.
As a result, the patient’s overall perception of life will change, with a focus on skepticism and negative thoughts. According to Smith and Pollak (2020), “these changes appear to be at least partially mediated through hormonal and neuropeptide alterations in the HPA axis along with interactions with genetic and epigenetic factors” (p. 5). Consequently, this factor underscores once again the importance of promptly and effectively finding appropriate solutions to treat stress. When not managed properly, the entire society can be influenced by depressed and stressed people, which can lead to unexpected outcomes.
Moreover, Smith and Pollak’s research supports the correlation between stress and an individual’s genetics. Notably, significant stress levels induce considerable hormonal imbalances within the organism (Lin et al., 2023). It should be noted that one consequence of stress is the release of the cortisol hormone, which disrupts the balance of the entire hormonal system (Lin et al., 2023).
As a result, the person’s hormonal system is weaker than in the normal state, when no significant stress is observed. This factor should be taken into account by healthcare professionals both during the pre-assessment of the patient’s condition and during treatment. Specifically, certain drugs can be given to restore the immune system’s function and promote a qualitative state of health to combat stress.
Involvement of Economic Issues in the Stress Mitigation
One of the most important topics related to stress causes and triggers is people’s work-life balance. Modern society tends to prioritize career goals when setting living priorities. With the growth of consumption, industrialization, urbanization, and the rise of the travel infrastructure, many people strive to earn as much money as possible. However, regardless of their expectations, their opportunities often do not meet their desires. As a result, people tend to have depression and high-stress levels that are connected with their unfulfilled goals, desires, and lifestyles (Solimini et al., 2021).
The concept of qualitative life-work balance is one of the most important aspects of life for every person, as it allows one not only to earn money for living but also to live. Devoting time to the patient’s family, friends, and oneself is essential to minimizing stress and other diseases. However, this issue is complex and requires collaboration with many professionals, including lawyers, local authorities, employers, and others responsible for managing the working environment.
Therefore, individuals must allocate sufficient time to their personal lives, family, friends, and other essential pursuits. Nevertheless, recent statistics reveal a significant imbalance in work-life equilibrium even in developed nations. As reported in “How to manage and reduce stress” (n. d.), “20.1% of the UK working population work 45 hours or more each week” (p. 2).
This figure starkly contrasts with another group of British individuals who work a standard 37-hour week (“How to manage and reduce stress”, n. d.). This statistical information confirms the importance of in-depth research on the society under study. The nurse should collaborate closely with all local representatives to understand the area’s specifications.
Another modern factor that influences contemporary society worldwide is social media. It is not a secret that billions of people use social networks daily to share their exciting moments, achievements, and happiness. However, for those who experience significant hardships, these factors can be only the causes of even higher stress due to the constant comparison of themselves with others (Flentje et al., 2020). The healthcare professional should recognize that specific stress-mitigation practices regarding the rational use of social media should be conducted with patients.
A Relationship Between Genetics and Economic Issues Concerning Stress
In addition to researching current theoretical frameworks, findings, and articles, the current study was essential to incorporate various scientific perspectives to obtain specific results and statistical information. As the first research question from a scientific perspective, the relationship between genetics and economic issues related to stress was examined. The study by Roy et al. (2024) aims to identify the risks that economic issues can pose to a person’s organism and biological state.
The authors conclude that one’s financial, career, and work-life balance factors directly influence the immune system and stress levels. This means that economic factors can pose a significant risk to the human body (Roy et al., 2024). Specifically, both psychological and biological effects can manifest within the organism (Flentje et al., 2020). Notably, not only internal but also external body processes can be triggered by stress levels caused by economic factors.
For example, the appearance of different types of inflammation may result from the body’s response to stressors. This issue underlines not only the long-term impact of stress, such as genetic changes, but also the current visible outcomes that can worsen the organism’s state. Consequently, individuals may experience distressing situations or inflammatory processes (Flentje et al., 2020). These adverse consequences of stress stemming from economic instability give rise to specific challenges, one of which concerns genetic factors.
Statistical Data Regarding Correlation Between Genetics and Stress States
The presence of high stress levels can multiply the possibility of having a depressive disorder in the person’s siblings. This outcome is based on the statistical data presented by McGuffin and Rivera (2019). The authors sought to thoroughly explore the peculiarities of correlations among relatives and siblings under high-stress conditions.
They stressed that the connection is not only remarkable but can be crucial because of the multiplication of the chances for various diseases connected with stress, such as depression or panic attacks. The authors delve into the interplay between genetics, economics, and stressors concerning human health. As noted by McGuffin and Rivera (2019), “at least one study of clinically ascertained narrowly defined depression estimated the risk in siblings to be nearly ten times the risk in controls’ siblings” (p. 1).
Furthermore, statistical data suggest that the average heritability was estimated at 37% (McGuffin & Rivera, 2019). These high numbers underscore the need to understand the specificities of stress-related adverse outcomes. Notably, it can also be useful to the nurse specialist in identifying the reasons for treatment failures. For example, the healthcare professional may accomplish all stages correctly.
However, because of the heritability, these attempts can be useless. One should understand that the person’s personal experience plays a crucial role in stress formation. Therefore, the stress transmitted to the patient’s siblings can result from past events. Significantly, the correlation is underscored by specific events, such as natural disasters, wars, revolutions, and poverty (Horowitz and American Psychiatric Association, 2021). Stress will be imposed on the patient’s relatives even if they did not experience any of the above-mentioned disasters.
Culture and Ethics in the Context of Power, Money, and Control
Money, control, and power can have a significantly adverse impact on a person’s well-being and, therefore, their stress, due to interventions in their personal life and the reduction of their autonomy, in addition to cultural issues. The research focused on ethical perspectives regarding specific points under the control of authorities and the government. Particularly, excessive control is a common problem in many societies that limits freedom and one’s autonomy. When they lack these essential resources, patients experience high levels of stress (Solimini et al., 2021).
In their research, Solimini et al. (2021) define basic principles crucial to a person’s well-being. Notably, all of the following issues are closely connected with the situation of the relationships between the patients and the authorities or the country’s government. Indeed, critical aspects such as autonomy, confidentiality, malpractice and professional liability/integrity, data protection and security, quality of care, and equity of access are paramount for individuals. (Solimini et al., 2021). Remarkably, these things should be addressed, and the treatment procedures should be created with respect to all of them.
Cultures and Societies Most Affected by the Issue
Each person’s perceptions play a determining role in their attitude toward the environment. However, in terms of stress, many external factors are also significant. For instance, a vital cultural challenge lies in educational disparities, as highlighted by Roy et al. (2024).
In particular, cultures under pressure from authority and experiencing unequal rights are more affected by this issue (Ennis et al., 2019). For example, children belonging to Afro-American communities often confront oppression, not just from their peers but occasionally from educational authorities as well (Selvakumar & Kenny, 2023). As a result of these problems and inequalities, the stress level in a particular group of people rises exponentially.
It is due to a chain reaction: a lack of education, fewer job opportunities, fewer chances to ensure the family’s safety and well-being, and, consequently, extreme levels of stress. Notably, various cultures and societies hold distinct expectations and perceptions of life. For instance, as noted by Zapf et al. (2020), “consequently, differences between cultures regarding emotion work and its effects are to be expected” (p. 139). It is another vital piece of knowledge that should be practically incorporated into future treatments for stress mitigation.
The Relationship Between Ethics and Cultural Issues Concerning Stress
The connection between ethics and cultural aspects is crucial concerning stress. Primarily, cultural background serves as the foundational issue shaping societal norms and values. Consequently, it significantly influences individuals’ life perspectives, particularly their attitudes and ethical frameworks.
In the context of stress mitigation and healthcare, according to Selvakumar and Kenny (2023), “the ethics of care framework emphasizes concerns, responsibilities, and relationships in contrast with the focus on consequences or rules typically associated with justice approaches” (p. 89). It is essential to recognize the interconnectedness of culture and ethics throughout the stress mitigation process, as they can yield both positive and negative outcomes. Cultural nuances may lead some groups to resist treatment and its potential benefits. Put differently, biased attitudes towards medicine or a lack of confidence in improvement can pose significant barriers to healthcare providers’ efforts to alleviate stress.
Statistical Correlation Between Culture and Ethics and Stress Mitigation States
The authors emphasize the importance of individual autonomy and privacy in mitigating stress and improving health outcomes. For example, as Solimini et al. (2021) state, “autonomy (87%), patient privacy (78%) and confidentiality (57%), data protection and security (74%), malpractice and professional liability/integrity (70%), equity of access (30%), quality of care (30%)” (p. 1314).
As a result, the correlation between culture and ethics is of considerable significance because of their direct influence on the factors mentioned above. Cultural backgrounds can shape perceptions of human rights, privacy, and individual autonomy. Conversely, ethical considerations may vary and prove inadequate even within developed nations.
Telehealth as a Proposed Solution
When seeking the right solution to mitigate stress in contemporary society, three primary characteristics were emphasized. First, this approach should not interfere with the patient’s private life, respect their autonomy, and keep their personal data safe. Second, the technique should be incorporated with respect to the person’s cultural background and societal environment, while also addressing ethical standards.
Finally, the third aspect concerns the treatment’s efficiency. It means the nurse should have sufficient instruments to control the patient’s actions and provide sufficient long-term support. Moreover, since the primary task is to minimize stress across the entire society, the method should account for the possibility of mass treatment involving multiple patients. After thorough consideration, the telehealth method was selected. As a result, the study proposes a solution based on various statistical and theoretical implications.
The telehealth method assumes a remote connection between the patient and the healthcare provider. In particular, both participants should have technological equipment, such as a personal computer or laptop, a camera, and a microphone. It will allow nurses to have constant access to the patient regardless of their location. One should highlight that this method was popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering people the option of remote treatment.
In the current study, telehealth will be vital to ensure that all requirements are met without significant intrusions into the patient’s privacy or limitations on their autonomy. Moreover, with the use of playful methods enabled by technology, the treatment and stress-mitigation process will be even more effective. Using the gathered data, the primary objective is to develop solutions and strategies to enhance clients’ familiarity with telehealth technologies. Consequently, it is crucial to formulate a strategy based on the study’s findings to alleviate patient stress (Gogia, 2019). Moreover, there is potential to formulate a novel theory grounded in the practical evidence obtained through the research process.
Conclusion
While summarizing the study, one should emphasize the thorough consideration of the various variables directly related to the chosen topic. Both economic, genetic, cultural, societal, and ethical aspects were addressed with the incorporation of data from many credible sources. The questions were formed with respect to the correlation between these variables and stress mitigation.
Moreover, a significant part of the paper is devoted to understanding the causes and triggers of stress, including cultural and societal factors. The person’s life perception, cultural background, and other points are essential to consider before implementing the treatment. In summarizing the paper, it is essential to underscore the importance of incorporating statistics into the research process.
This approach enabled the researcher to not only comprehend the current landscape of issues, such as personal privacy, but also to establish a framework of priorities. This prioritization is vital for treatment planning, as it allows for focusing on the most urgent and critical areas first. Several primary factors, including the working environment, the use of modern technologies, and education, among others, significantly influence stress levels in contemporary society.
The research questions formulated in the paper facilitated a systematic exploration of stress triggers, enabling the author to discern which aspects merit immediate attention. Among these are individual autonomy, equitable access to care, and the security and privacy of personal data, as well as other crucial elements. Furthermore, the statistical data underscore the need to address both cultural and ethical considerations in stress mitigation efforts in modern society. After composing and comparing all the aspects of stress’s causes and its potential treatment specifications, the methods that represent the golden middle for all the stated requirements were presented.
The Telehealth technique was highlighted for its limited interaction between the healthcare provider and the patient regarding cultural background, autonomy, and privacy. However, technological advancements that enable effective approaches, such as webcams, microphones, and others, make this treatment method effective in mitigating stress in contemporary society. The nurse will be able to provide the patient with constant support while not interfering with their private life.
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