Longer—but Harder—Lives? Psychosocial Stress Exposure, Biological Risk, and Physical Functioning among Older Age Hispanics

• In Event: 4151 - Life Course

Abstract

Despite evidence of a Hispanic “mortality paradox,” it remains unclear whether the paradox extends to pre-disease markers of biological, psychological, and physical functioning. Further, the social processes contributing to observed patterns of Hispanic health are also not well understood. This study fills these gaps by assessing the biological, psychological, and physical well-being of older age Hispanics, relative to Whites and Blacks, and further examining the stress-related pathways underlying racial/ethnic and immigrant-native health disparities. Preliminary findings indicate that older age Hispanics have higher levels of HbA1c, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and depressive risk than Whites, though there is intra-group heterogeneity by nativity status. While Hispanics report similar levels of acute stress exposure as Whites, they have higher levels of financial strain and chronic stress. Results further suggest that racial/ethnic and immigrant-native disparities in psychosocial stress exposure may be a critical—but largely understudied—pathway producing population health disparities at old age.

Authors

• Courtney E. Boen, University of Pennsylvania

• Robert A. Hummer, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill