The study showed that negative emotions were most common among rural than city dwellers. (Photo : Getty Images)
Stress has become a part of everyday life for plenty of Chinese, a new poll by Gallup suggests, according to an article by China Daily. Survey results were released on Monday, Feb. 8.
According to the poll, which measured stress levels in China in 2015, 27 percent of respondents showed high levels of stress the day before they were interviewed. Meanwhile, 40 percent of respondents experienced a lot of stress.
The results show a significant increase from 2014's results, which were 18 percent and 28 percent, respectively.
Stress readings among Chinese have been low for the past decade as Gallup's surveys indicate, as results mostly hovered around 28 percent in 2011 and 2014. The percentage rose by 10 points in 38, however.
The rising levels of stress among Chinese, according to Gallup, indicate a strong dissatisfaction with their household income and personal savings--both of which were adversely affected because of China's economic slowdown.
The report went on to state that personal financial setbacks usually lead to increased worry and stress.
In a related survey by Gallup, only 58 percent of Chinese respondents expressed satisfaction with their household income in 2015. It's a rather sharp decline from 2014 results, which recorded a high of 66 percent.
The study also showed that these negative emotions were most common among those living in rural areas than city dwellers. Among the respondents, 4,265 were from Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Then again, most urban dwellers are known to regularly experience stress and worry due to the fast-paced lifestyle in big cities.
It's unclear whether China's rapid urbanization contributed to the rising stress and worry levels among rural residents in China. The Gallup report, however, did indicate that basic food and shelter were common causes of worry in the countryside.
The slowing economy and China's economic policies might have also contributed to the growing anxieties rural Chinese experience, said the Gallup report.
Despite the results, Pew Center surveys indicate that the Chinese are still among the most optimistic people regarding their future. The government has also vowed to create more jobs to bridge the rural and urban divide.
