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Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified), Open
Journal article
Child and Adult Socioeconomic Status and the Cortisol Response to Acute Stress: Evidence From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Psychosomatic medicine, v 80(2), pp 184-192
01 Feb 2018
PMID: 29215456
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Objective A long-hypothesized pathway through which low socioeconomic status (SES) harms health is through dysregulation of the physiologic stress response systems. No previous studies have tested this hypothesis by investigating cortisol reactivity and recovery to acute stress in relation to SES at different times in the life course in adults. Alteration of the cortisol response to an acute stressor could signal dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and has been associated with chronic illness.
Methods We used data on 997 adults 54 years or older from a multiethnic, multisite United States study to examine associations between life course SES and cortisol response to a laboratory stress challenge. Informed by life course theory, we hypothesized that lower child and adult SES would be associated with lower reactivity (i.e., smaller increase in cortisol) and a slower recovery rate (i.e., slower rate of decline in cortisol after the challenge).
Results In demographics-adjusted multilevel piecewise linear regression models, low child and adult SES were associated with a 19% (95% CI = 4%-50%) and 27% (7%-55%) slower recovery rate compared with high child and adult SES, respectively. Compared with participants with stable high SES, those with stable low SES had a 48% (16%-70%) slower recovery rate. Differences in reactivity by SES were small.
Conclusions Our results support the hypothesis that low SES throughout life affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and in turn the ability to recover from exposure to acute stressors. This mechanism can help explain how socioeconomic disparities contribute to disparities in chronic disease.
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Details
- Title
- Child and Adult Socioeconomic Status and the Cortisol Response to Acute Stress: Evidence From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
- Creators
- Felice Le-Scherban - University of California, Los AngelesAllison B. Brenner - Institute for Social Research (Brenner, Hicken), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MIMargaret T. Hicken - Columbia University Medical CenterBelinda L. Needham - University of Michigan–Ann ArborTeresa Seeman - University of California, Los AngelesRichard P. Sloan - Columbia UniversityXu Wang - Drexel UniversityAna V. Diez Roux - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Psychosomatic medicine, v 80(2), pp 184-192
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- P2CHD041028 / EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) N01HC095163 / DIVISION OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Eye Institute (NEI) K01DK106322 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) R44HL095169 / NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) NO1-HC-95159; NO1-HC-95160; NO1-HC-95161; NO1-HC-95162; NO1-HC-95163; NO1-HC-95164; NO1-HC-95165; NO1-HC-95169 / National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) P60 MD002249 / Michigan Center for Integrative Approaches to Health Disparities - National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities P30AG028748 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA) P60MD002249 / National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Minority Health & Health Disparities (NIMHD) R21DA024273 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); European Commission
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Family (Community and Preventive) Medicine
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000424875700007
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85041697912
- Other Identifier
- 991019168163404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Psychology, Multidisciplinary