This study by the team of Dr. Kimberly Narain of the University of California Medicine School in Los Angeles (UCLA) sheds new light on independent female work thanks to an unprecedented methodological approach. Rather than relying on subjective questionnaires, researchers have analyzed biological data of 19,400 adults from the US national survey Nhanes. Exit approximate statements on stress or sleep. This time, it is the objective markers that speak – cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, blood sugar. This rigorous method gives the results remarkable scientific solidity.
The results are striking: independent work literally transforms the health of women. White women see their obesity rate fall by 7.4 points, their sedentary lifestyle decrease by 7 points and their sleep disorders fall by 9.4 points. On the side of women from ethnic minorities, the benefits are just as spectacular with 6.7 gain on the balanced diet, 7.3 points of less physical inactivity and 8.1 sleep improvement points.
A specifically feminine benefit
Dr. Narain, co -author of the study, confirms this specifically feminine trend. “The link between independent work and reduction in cardiac risks is much more marked in women than in men,” she said in a press release. The reason? Women wear a particularly heavy burden of stress, juggling constantly between professional requirements and family obligations. Pressure that independence seems to be considerably lightened.
Professional autonomy therefore offers women precious flexibility to manage these multiple constraints. No more rigid schedules that do not adapt to school outings or medical appointments. No more endless meetings that encroach over family time. The independent work makes it possible to regain control over your schedule and, by ricochet, on your health.
In men, the benefits remain more modest. Independent white men see their power supply and blood pressure improve. On the other hand, men from ethnic minorities do not benefit from their independent status.
Autonomy, the key to female well-being?
Released in BMC Public Health, this study upsets our vision of the link between work and cardiovascular health. We already know that stressful jobs – a lot of requirements, little freedom – promote hypertension and heart disease. Independent work seems to offer an escape to these constraints, at least for certain categories of population.
For Dr. Narain, these results call for a complete overhaul of our approach to work. “We absolutely have to understand how the work environment infiltrates our organization to guarantee everyone a professional framework that protects rather than destroy,” she says. The urgency is real when you know that cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of world mortality.
This correlation between autonomy and cardiovascular health opens concrete tracks to improve occupational health without waiting for a massive transition to independence. Companies could thus generalize hybrid telework and flexible hours, particularly for their employees with family responsibilities. The establishment of a real “right to disconnection” and the limitation of meetings to slots compatible with family life would constitute simple but effective measures. As for public policies, strengthen support for women entrepreneurs and develop cardiovascular prevention programs adapted to specifically feminine constraints would make it possible to amplify these benefits.
Be careful however: this study does not make it possible to establish a cause and effect link. Other factors could explain these results, such as certain personality traits which would promote both the choice of independence and better health.
Despite these limits, this research opens up interesting avenues to rethink the organization of work. If professional autonomy effectively protects the cardiovascular health of women, integrating more flexibility in traditional professional environments becomes a major public health issue.