Do daily stress processes account for socioeconomic health disparities?
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the extent to which daily stressor severity and appraisals of the stressors accounted for socioeconomic disparities in health.


METHODS
Data from the National Study of Daily Experiences and the Midlife in the United States Survey were combined for the current analyses, resulting in 1,031 respondents who reported on 7,229 days.


RESULTS
Respondents without a high school degree experienced more severe stressors and appraised stressors as posing greater risk to their financial situation and to their self-concept than respondents with a high school or college degree. Differences in severity and stressor appraisal accounted for education differences in psychological distress and physical health symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest the importance of considering variation across stressors, particularly implications for self-concept, in understanding sources of differential stressor vulnerability.
Almeida
David M
DM
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 135 E. Nittany Ave., Suite 405, State College, 18601, USA. dalmeida@psu.edu
Neupert
Shevaun D
SD
Banks
Sean R
SR
Serido
Joyce
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012306:Risk; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology