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Maisie Sheahan Media Analysis 31/3/2022

Throughout the entirety of this analysis, the concept of prolonged stress and mental
health disorders will be examined. In order to support exploration into this health issue, the
analysis is supported by Adrienne O’Neil and their article ‘stress can cause heart attacks’,
published on March 21 2022, by The Conversation in Australia. Within this article O’Neil
explores the consequences of stress, specifically the physical impacts of prolonged periods of
stress and how external stimuli can influence stress. This analysis will firstly define the
determinants of health, then shift its focus to two key determinants, namely work and water
and sanitation. Both determinants are individually extrapolated throughout the following
analysis in order to fully understand how both can impact an individual’s mental health in a
variety of ways.

The conditions in which humans are born, live and work is the single most important
determinant of optimal or ill health (The World Health Organisation). Therefore, in order to
comprehend how the determinants of health influence the presence of stress in the Australian
population, we must first understand the determinants independently. Dahlgren and
Whitehead (1910) define determinants of health as “a factor or characteristic that brings
about change in health, either for the better or the worse’’. The outer layers of the model
formulate pathways that effect health outcomes within the inner layers of the model ("Factors
that influence health: An introduction: View as single page", 2022) . Work and health care are
both examples of living and working conditions that influence the health issue of prolonged
stress.

Work is classified as a determinant of health due the rapid increase of reports from the
Australian workforce indicating an increase in stress related mental health problems as a
consequence of excessive job demands in the workplace (Occupational health, 2022).
Although Work place environments can both positively and negatively influence the presence
of stress, for the purpose of this analysis, only the negative impacts will be discussed
throughout the analysis. Lisanne Bergefurt and several other health professionals, conducted
research which aimed to demonstrate the broad impact of work environments on employee’s
mental health from a holistic perspective (Bergefurt, Weijs-Perrée, Appel-Meulenbroek and

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Arentze, 2022). The Authors explored ten mental health indicators including stress, burnout
and depression to research the impact of the work environment. It was concluded in their
research that having an open plan working space may dimmish rates of productivity and
accelerate a strain on an individual’s mental health. In further discussion it was mentioned
that “job resources might buffer the negative effects of Job stress due to high job demands
and might also affect engagement” (Bergefurt, Weijs-Perrée, Appel-Meulenbroek and
Arentze, 2022). This in turn corelates with O’neils article as they suggest that unhealthy work
environments can cause the secretion of cortisol and inflammation in employees. This
therefore can cause arteries to harden at an expedited rate, thus increasing the risk of heart
attacks.

Safe water and sanitation are fundamental determinants of health, falling under the
living and working conditions layer of the Dahlgren and Whitehead Model. Whilst the link
between safe water and physical health has become well researched, the mental health
relationship has been disregarded. Amber Wutich conducted influential research into the
relationship between the presence of good mental health and a safe water source. The authors
also explore well established measures used by other researchers, to reinforce the relevant
relationship (Wutich, Brewis and Tsai, 2020). Although Wutich argued more research was
necessary, they concluded that a lack of access to a safe and sanitary water source had a
significant correlation with accelerated levels of emotional distress. In particular associated
stress was common amongst rural communities as a result of financial and drought related
anxieties. The Journal also discusses a recent study in Ghana, Kangmennaang et al. (2020)
where individuals explained fear surrounded contaminated water as “drinking diseases”. The
presence of this fear is When the presence of this fear is prolonged, it can ultimately result in
the presence of stress related mental health disorders. The nature of this fear is entirely
rational as globally at least 2 billion people drink from a water source contaminated with
human faeces. This evidence exemplifies the significance of the positive impacts of safe
water on an individual’s mental health and wellbeing. In essence water and sanitation also
correlates with O’neils article, as it explores unsuspecting ways in which mental health
disorders are generated from.

This Media analysis extrapolated the ways in which living and working conditions
can shape mental health and wellbeing across the Australian nation. In particular this paper
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examines how working environments can negatively influence the presence of stress and
mental health disorders. In order to solidify this concept, this paper drew on evidence from
Bergefurts journal article which suggests aspects of physical work environments are
correlated with levels of stress and anxiety. Moreover, the importance of the relationship
between safe water and mental health was dissected through Amber Wutichs research on a
lack of clean water as a facilitator prolonged periods of stress and common mental health
disorders (Wutich, Brewis and Tsai, 2020). Ultimately it can be concluded that living and
working conditions have potential to significantly influence an individual’s mental health and
overall wellbeing.

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References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2016). Australia’s health 2016, Chapter 4
Determinants of health. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
DOI:10.25816/5ec1e4cd2547f
Bergefurt, L., Weijs-Perrée, M., Appel-Meulenbroek, R., & Arentze, T. (2022). The physical
office workplace as a resource for mental health – A systematic scoping
review. Building And Environment, 207, 108505.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108505
Dalgren, G., Whitehead, M., (1991). Policies and strategies to promote social equity in
health. Institute of further studies.
http://repositori.uji.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10234/187797/GoeranD_Policies_and_
strategies_to_promote_social_equity_in_health.pdf?sequence=1
Kangmennaang, J., Bisung, E., & Elliott, S. (2020). ‘We Are Drinking Diseases’: Perception
of Water Insecurity and Emotional Distress in Urban Slums in Accra,
Ghana. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 17(3),
890. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030890
O'Neil, A. (2022). Stress can cause heart attacks. Could tackling workplace bullying save
lives?. The Conversation. All pages. https://theconversation.com/stress-can-cause-
heart-attacks-could-tackling-workplace-bullying-save-lives-179578.
Occupational health. Who.int. (2022). Occupational health in the Western Pacific, health
topics https://www.who.int/westernpacific/health-topics/occupational-health
The Open University. Open.edu. (2022). Factors that influence health, K311 Promoting
public health. View as single page.
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?printable=1&id=3738
Wutich, A., Brewis, A., & Tsai, A. (2020). Water and mental health. Wires Water, 7(5).
https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1461