methods used. For this reason, they can
only be used as a basis for ‘educated
guesses’ in relation to the extent or cost of
occupational stress. It is even more difficult
to obtain valid, reliable and standardised
data across the European Union’s 15 Mem-
ber States. As the 1997 European Founda-
tion report on European Working
Environment in Figures suggested, “al-
though some information sources exist,
very little comparable quantitative occupa-
tional health and safety data is available at
European level, at present.” (European
Foundation, 1997).
The European Foundation’s 1996 Working
Conditions in the European Union revealed
that 29% of the workers questioned be-
lieved that their work affected their health.
The work-related health problems men-
tioned most frequently are musculoskele-
tal complaints (30%) and stress (28%).
23% of respondents said they had been
absent from work for work-related health
reasons during the previous 12 months.
The average number of days’ absence per
worker was 4 days per year, which repre-
sents around 600 million working days lost
per year across the EU.
Although there is obviously a need for
more rigorous data collection mecha-
nisms, it is clear that stress-related ill-
health is a major cause for concern in
terms of its impact on both individuals’
lives and the productivity of organisations
and countries. The research summarised in
this Report shows that, even within a life
perspective, work-related stress is a signif-
icant problem and represents a major chal-
lenge to occupational health in Europe.