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Does Long-Term Stress Contribute to Racial Disparities in Health? Testing an Extended Stress Process Model

Brown, Sherri Patrice
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9789-7381
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1649443320171333

Abstract Details

2022, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Sociology.
Racial disparity in health is a long existing and widespread problem in the United States. Additionally, Black people are generally more afflicted by stressful circumstances than their White counterparts. Using an adapted conceptual model based on Leonard Pearlin’s (1981) stress process framework, I examine the role of stress over a long-term in accounting for racial disparities, among Black and White Americans, in health. This is carried out by observing five major model components: (1) social position and stress; (2) stress proliferation; (3) repeated hardships; (4) social resources; and (5) race and socioeconomic intersections. This research is composed of an analysis of secondary data from the American’s Changing Lives study, which consisted of a national probability sample of adult men and women who resided in the United States. First, regarding social position and stress, findings indicate that occupying a race-disadvantaged social position can influence exposure to stressful experiences, with Black Americans showing an increased likelihood of being exposed to more stressful experiences overall. Second, regarding stress proliferation, findings reveal that stress is a cumulative process beginning in childhood. Childhood adversities can impact the risk of experiencing stress across adulthood, and this may lead to poor health outcomes for Black and White Americans. Additionally, being Black American may increase the risk of cumulative stress on health. Third, regarding repeated hardships, findings in this study show that acts of discrimination may directly impact psychological health for Black and White Americans. Fourth, regarding social resources, findings indicate that social resources, such as religious involvement and social support directly impact psychological health for Black and White Americans. Fifth, regarding race and socioeconomic intersections, socioeconomic status factors do not impact stressful experiences directly or combined with race. Overall, race appears to play a modest role in shaping long-term stress experiences through stress exposure and cumulative stress from childhood to adulthood, but race is not manifested through the entire process of stress. This study contributes to stress and health disparities by extending past practices in understanding race, stress, and health.
Gary Deimling (Committee Chair)
Cassi Claytor (Committee Member)
Cheryl Killion (Committee Member)
Jessica Kelley (Committee Member)
Eva Kahana (Committee Member)
377 p.
African Americans; Sociology
long-term stress; stress; stressors; health disparities; black and white Americans; race; stress process model

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Brown, S. P. (2022). Does Long-Term Stress Contribute to Racial Disparities in Health? Testing an Extended Stress Process Model [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1649443320171333

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Brown, Sherri. Does Long-Term Stress Contribute to Racial Disparities in Health? Testing an Extended Stress Process Model. 2022. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1649443320171333.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Brown, Sherri. "Does Long-Term Stress Contribute to Racial Disparities in Health? Testing an Extended Stress Process Model." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1649443320171333

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1649443320171333
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© 2022, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12