Huffington Post
Gallup-Healthwaysが今年4月に発表した「日常生活におけるストレス度調査」によると、米国で最もストレスの少ない場所はハワイだ。この結果は、Gallupが2008年に同調査を始めて以来、変わっていない。
以下の地図は、米国国内における州ごとのストレスレベルを表している。「近頃、日々ストレスを感じている」という住民の割合に基づいてつくられたものだ（正確には、調査日の「1日前にストレスを感じましたか」という質問文）。
最もストレスを感じている人の割合が高い州の一部は、北東部の大都市にあり、都会生活によるストレスがあることがうかがえる。
われわれが作成した地図はさらに、「最もストレスの多い15都市」も示している。これは、2011年に行われたForbesの調査で、失業率や生活費、交通の便、大気清浄度などについて分析されたデータに基づいて評価したものだ。
カリフォルニア州には、「最もストレスの多い15都市」のうち5つの都市がある。気候に恵まれ、人口一人当たりに対するヨガスタジオの数が最も多い所でもあるが、交通が不便で地価が高いことが、快適に生活できる場所としての評価を下げてしまっている。
Infographic by Jan Diehm for The Huffington Post.
ストレスの原因には様々な個人的原因や社会的原因があるが、
とりわけ活発に議論されているストレス要因のひとつに「経済状態」がある。最もストレス度が高いとされた州であるウェストバージニア州とケンタッキー州では、約19％の人々が貧困状態にある。
一方、ディープサウス[通常はルイジアナ州、ミシシッピ州、アラバマ州、ジョージア州、サウスカロライナ州を指す]は、米国でも貧困レベルが高い地域だが、ストレスレベルは比較的低い傾向にある。
[Katy Hall,Jan Diehm 日本語版：ガリレオ]
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