Researchers at the University of Melbourne have shown that unpaid housework is associated with worse mental health in working women. The study was published in: Lancet Public Health.
The authors selected 14 publications for analysis. All were devoted to examining the impact of unpaid work, including housework and childcare, on working women and men. In total, more than 66,800 people from 35 countries participated in the studies.
In 11 of the 14 publications reviewed, it was reported that women experienced more pronounced symptoms of depression or psychological distress due to unpaid work, and the more it was, the more severely the female psyche suffered. For men, the same effect was found in only three of the 12 studies. At the same time, in all 35 countries, women were more likely than men to do unpaid work at home after work. Women also regularly sacrificed paid time to perform household chores.
The authors believe that major policy changes, such as universal childcare and the normalization of flexible working hours for men, are urgently needed for real change.