title: The Effects of Job Instability and Financial Strain on C-Reactive Protein in a Sample of Mexican Immigrants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mexican immigrants have lower cardiovascular disease risk than US citizens, but risk increases with level of acculturation. Our study investigated whether job stress and financial strain would be related to inflammation (C-reactive protein), lipids, and blood pressure, and if they would play a role in the acculturation process in Mexican immigrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 310 Mexican immigrants living in the United States were studied on measures of job stress, financial strain, acculturation, and cardiovascular disease risk factors (C-reactive protein, lipids, and blood pressure).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Job instability, financial strain, and acculturation, were related to inflammation, but psychological demands and decision latitude were not related. Lipids and blood pressure were not related to the variables of interest. Body mass index (BMI) was related to both increased acculturation and inflammation, and when controlling for BMI, acculturation was no longer a significant predictor of inflammation. Job instability and financial strain remained significant predictors of inflammation after controlling for BMI, sex, and age. Job instability and financial strain were not related to acculturation, suggesting that these factors are significant stressors for both newly arrived and more established immigrants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Job instability and financial strain predict increased inflammation in Mexican immigrants but they do not play a role in the relationship between acculturation and C-reactive protein. The effects of acculturation on inflammation in this study were mediated by BMI.
authors: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors: Patrick R
authors: PR
authors: Steffen
authors: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors: Jill
authors: J
authors: Walker
authors: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Meredith
authors: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D004651:Employment; D005382:Financing, Personal; D006801:Humans; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Acculturation; C-reactive Protein; Financial Stress; Immigrant Health; Job Instability