If your workplace has a gender imbalance, it might be affecting your health. 

Bianca Manago, a doctoral student in sociology, and Cate Taylor, an assistant professor of sociology at Indiana University Bloomington, were the lead researchers behind this new study that looked at the stress levels of those women who work in environments that are largely dominated by men. 

The study looked at 'token' women, who work in industries or offices where 85% or more of the employees are male. 

Previous research showed that women in that situation suffer from "social isolation, performance pressures, sexual harassment, obstacles to mobility, moments of both high visibility and invisibility, co-workers' doubts about their competence, and low levels of workplace social support", which would impact on their stress levels.

In order to monitor the extent of that impact, Manago and Taylor looked at the cortisol levels (the stress hormone) of a number of women who are in workplaces that are mainly occupied by males, and the results were pretty clear. 

"We find that such women are more likely to experience exposure to high levels of interpersonal, workplace stressors", said Manago, adding that the higher than normal levels recorded are definitely "due to the negative working conditions of token women" rather than their own particular reaction to stress or the demands of their job. 

The long term implications are of being exposed to these types of stresses have been shown to "cause vulnerability to disease and mortality".

In a statement, Taylor stated that their findings show how "negative workplace social climates encountered by women in male-dominated occupations may be linked to later negative health outcomes for these women". 

Via Eureka Alert