title: Cross-sectional changes in patterns of allostatic load among persons with varying disabilities, NHANES: 2001-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allostatic Load (AL) is a measure of physiological stress that correlates with morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate patterns of AL among persons with each of eight categories of disability versus persons with no disabilities over the 10-year Healthy People 2010 examination period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study examined measures of AL from the 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The independent variable was Disability Status (hearing, vision, memory, physical-mental-emotional, walking up 10 steps, bending or kneeling, lifting or carrying, assistive devices, no disability). Eight laboratory and one social AL dependent variables included blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), HDL cholesterol, number of friends, and neutrophil percentages. Weighted statistical analyses included one-way ANCOVA with age as the covariate and chi-square tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among respondents, 2.3% had hearing disabilities; 14.0% vision disabilities, 4.6% memory disabilities; 1.5% physical, mental, emotional disabilities; 1.3%, 5.9%, and 3.5% various mobility disabilities; and 5.3% used assistive devices. Persons with disabilities had significantly higher BMI, lower HDL cholesterol, higher C-reactive protein, and higher neutrophil levels than persons without disabilities. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased during the decade, but BMI increased. A range of 36.2-61.0% of persons with non-hearing disabilities exceeded BMI obesity thresholds during 2009, and 13.8-29.9% had fewer than three friends during 2009.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support previous research linking risks for secondary conditions/morbidity and allostatic load while demonstrating associations between disabilities and AL, especially for persons with mobility disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 410 Berryhill, CB 7530, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. David_Hollar@att.net
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hollar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D052636:Allostasis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein