Anxiety about cost of living: Effect on health

The present study investigated rising cost of living in India which is proving a threat to millions being driven near the poverty line and getting ill with disease. One does not have adequate resources to meet basic needs of shelter, food and clothing. Subjected to this constant price rise, how can one think beyond day to day expenses? Moreover, the divide of economic classes in India will become more apparent thereby causing anxiety and dissatisfacrion in the employed middle class.

The General Self-Efficacy scale (GSES-H, Sud, Schwarzer & jerusalem, 1998) was administered to all subjects in order to measure level of self-efficacy, followed by measuring anxiety by the Generalised Anxiety Disorder measure (GAD-7, Spitzer, et ai, 2006).

Thereafter the Exercise Self-efficacy Scale (ESES, Kroll et ai, 2007) assessed the amount of exercise the subjects did. Finally Spielberger's (1970) State-Trait Anxiety measure (STAI), A-State form was employed to measure the anxiety of subjects following their feedback regarding price rise.

Subjects were instructed to adopt exercise (especially Yoga) as part of their daily routine so that they could combat anxiety and divert attention from price rise. Subjects were 152 (76 low and 76 high efficacious, mean age =31.52, SD=6.33 years) employees (bankers, doctors, lawyers, university/college teachers) and a few students from professional colleges.

Correlation indicates that self-efficacy led to better health beliefs as people wished to engage in exercise (Yoga) mainly to lessen tension and anxiety, as adverse health conditions arise out of excessive anxiety. The high self-efficacious showed less anxiety over the changing price index and also suffered from fewer diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, tension headaches, gastrointestinal disorders as well as problems with the teeth and gums, (health record were taken from self reports by the person with respect to the number of hospital/dispensary visits). General self-efficacy correlated well with anxiety as compared to exercise sel-fefficacy.

Overall physical as well as mental health needs need to be monitored by strengthening social-cognitive beliefs, combating anxiety with more health-care facilities so that the working middle class can live a disease free life, and cope with the soaring prices. Research is negligible in India correlating self-efficacy with soaring prices.