title: The Psychosocial Context of Financial Stress: Implications for Inflammation and Psychological Health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psychological distress may contribute to chronic activation of acute-phase inflammation. The current study investigated how financial stressors influence psychosocial functioning and inflammation. This study examined a) the direct relations between financial stress and inflammation; b) whether the relationships between financial stress and inflammation are mediated in part by negative interpersonal events, psychological distress, and psychological well-being; and c) whether social standing in one's community moderates the relations between financial stress and psychological distress, psychological well-being, and markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6] and C-reactive protein).
  
  
  METHODS
  Stressful financial and interpersonal events over the previous year, perceived social status, indices of psychological well-being and distress, and levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein were assessed in a community sample of 680 middle-aged adults (ages 40-65 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation modeling analyses revealed significant relations among financial stress, interpersonal stress, and psychological distress and well-being, and complex relationships between these variables and inflammatory markers. Psychological well-being mediated the association between financial stress and IL-6 ([mediation] ab = 0.012, standard error [SE] = 0.006, p = .048). Furthermore, individuals with higher perceived social standing within their communities exhibited a stronger relation between negative financial events and both interpersonal stressors (interaction B = 0.067, SE = 0.017, p < .001) and C-reactive protein (interaction B = 0.051, SE = 0.026, p = .050).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Financial stress demonstrates complex relations with inflammation, due partly to psychological well-being and social perceptions. Findings are discussed with regard to the social context of stress and physiological factors pertinent to stress adaptation and inflammation.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Sturgeon), Stanford University, Palo Alto, California; Department of Psychology (Arewasikporn, Okun, Davis, Zautra), Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona; and Department of Human Development (Ong), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sturgeon
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arewasikporn
authors.forename: Morris A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Okun
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Alex J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zautra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*