title: Health status among urban African American women: associations among well-being, perceived stress, and demographic factors.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations among health status, well-being, and perceived stress in a sample of urban African American women. African American women (n = 128) (Mean +/- SD, 49.3 +/- 10.5) from Baltimore, Maryland, enrolled in a church-based physical activity randomized trial were included in the analysis. Health status was assessed from the SF-36. Well-being, perceived stress, and demographics were also determined from self-report. Results indicated that the sample reported favorable health status, well-being, and stress levels compared to mean levels reported in the literature. Spearman rank-order correlations indicated that perceived stress score negatively correlated with most health status dimensions and well-being in the present, past, and future. Multiple regression analyses, adjusting for potential demographic confounders, indicated that higher perceived stress was associated with lower health status and well-being. If these results are confirmed in prospective investigations, they suggest that interventions designed to reduce stress may impact health status and future morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, HHP Building 2312, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA. dryoung@umd.edu
authors.forename: Deborah Rohm
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Xiaoxing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jeanine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Genkinger
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sapun
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mabry
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jehn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015142:Baltimore; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D016387:Women's Health