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Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine 1/2011

Open Access 01-02-2011 | Original Article

Domains of Chronic Stress, Lifestyle Factors, and Allostatic Load in Middle-Aged Mexican-American Women

Authors: Linda C. Gallo, Ph.D., Jessica A. Jiménez, M.A., Smriti Shivpuri, M.S., Karla Espinosa de los Monteros, M.S., Paul J. Mills, Ph.D.

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Little research has examined how chronic stress in different domains relates to allostatic load (AL).

Purpose

We examined the relationship between multiple chronic stressors with AL, and evaluated lifestyle factors as possible mediating factors.

Methods

Three hundred one middle-aged Mexican-American women underwent a physical exam and completed measures of lifestyle factors and chronic stress in eight domains. A composite of 12 neuroendocrine, metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory markers represented AL.

Results

Chronic work, financial, and caregiving domains related to higher AL scores after adjusting for covariates and other stressors. Lifestyle factors made little contribution to the association between stressors and AL.

Conclusions

Chronic work, financial, and caregiving stressors are associated with physiological dysregulation in Mexican-American women. This study is among the first to examine multiple domains of chronic stress in relation to AL, in a population that has been understudied in research concerning stress and health.
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Metadata
Title
Domains of Chronic Stress, Lifestyle Factors, and Allostatic Load in Middle-Aged Mexican-American Women
Authors
Linda C. Gallo, Ph.D.
Jessica A. Jiménez, M.A.
Smriti Shivpuri, M.S.
Karla Espinosa de los Monteros, M.S.
Paul J. Mills, Ph.D.
Publication date
01-02-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9233-1

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