MyBioSource.com, a biotechnical products distribution company, conducted a study of physical and mental distress data from County Health Rankings over the last 5 years (from 2017 to 2021) in counties across Virginia.
From longer work hours to increased demands at home, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed Americans to new levels of stress in almost every aspect of their lives. And now after two years of COVID-related health worries, Americans are faced with financial concerns as high inflation leads to a cost of living crisis for many.
Study data revealed that Christiansburg has a stress inflation rate of 4 percent, among the lowest in the commonwealth. Radford’s stress inflation rate, according to the study, is 2 percent, also among the lowest in Virginia.
According to the study, the Virginia county with the highest ‘stressflation’ over the last 5 years was found to be Buchanan County, with a 12% increase. More specifically, citizens there had a 6% increase in physical stress, as well as 6% increase in mental stress.
The only place in the commonwealth with a reduced stressflation, and comparatively Zen-like citizens, according to study data, was Falls Church City which had a 1% decrease in rate of physical stress and a 0% change in mental stress.
MyBioSource.com also broke down the data at a national/state level, which revealed the state with the highest stress inflation rate over the past 5 years was Maine (6%). On the other end of the ranking, New York had the lowest stress inflation rate in the country. In fact, The Empire State actually experienced a stress deflation rate of 2%!
States with the highest stress inflation rates in the country:
1) Maine: 6% stress inflation.
2) North Dakota: 5% stress inflation.
3) Ohio: 5% stress inflation.
4) Kansas: 4% stress inflation.
5) Michigan: 4% stress inflation.
States with the lowest stress inflation rates in the country:
50) New York: 2% stress deflation.
49) Wyoming: 1% stress deflation.
48) Maryland: 1% stress deflation.
47) Rhode Island: 0% flat.
46) North Carolina: 0% flat.