Economic Vulnerability In Uncertain Times
Among women, concerns about economic vulnerability are
greater than those focusing on personal safety.
(NAPSI)-Terrorism takes a back seat to domestic issues in the
views of American women.
According to a new survey conducted for the Center for Gender
Equality, 46 percent of the women surveyed are very or somewhat worried that their
economic situations will worsen.
Almost a quarter of the women polled report that their
economic situation has worsened since the attacks and say this was partially or completely
a result of the terrorist attacks, rather than economic factors in place before the
attacks.
One of the economic realities women are facing is the ability
to pay health insurance.
With new mental health concerns and fears about bioterrorism,
especially among those under 30, women are even more concerned about their ability to pay
for health insurance.
Young women (18 to 29) are less prepared to cope with the
mental impact of the attacks and reported consequences such as difficulty sleeping (28
percent), anxiety (25 percent), lack of energy (24 percent) and inability to concentrate
(23 percent).
Twenty-two percent are worried about their ability to afford
health care coverage and 19 percent fear they could lose their benefits altogether.
Women are not confident that their local government agencies
are indeed prepared-48 percent believe that local agencies are devoting adequate resources
to promote public safety, but only 17 percent are very confident in the ability of law
enforcement agencies to deal with bio-terrorism.
"It is especially critical that the public and policy
makers take women's issues and concerns into account as we debate the nation's economic
conditions and its preparedness for defense against bio-terrorist attacks," said Faye
Wattleton, president of the Center for Gender Equality.
The Center for Gender Equality is an independent,
nonpartisan research and public education institution established to advance women's equal
participation at every level of society.
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