Mechanisms of Racial Health Disparities: Relationships between Coping and Psychological and Physiological Stress Responses. 2020

Julie Ober Allen, and Daphne C Watkins, and Briana Mezuk, and Linda Chatters, and Vicki Johnson-Lawrence
Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Psychological distress and physiological dysregulation represent two stress response pathways linked to poor health and are implicated in racial disparities in aging-related health outcomes among US men. Less is known about how coping relates to these stress responses. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine whether midlife and older men's coping strategies and behaviors accounted, in part, for Black-White disparities in men's psychological and physiological stress responses. We examined racial differences in 12 coping strategies (COPE Inventory subscales, religious/spiritual coping, and behaviors such as stress eating and substance use) and their relationships with psychological distress (Negative Affect scale) and physiological dysregulation (blunted diurnal cortisol slopes) using regression models and cross-sectional data from 696 Black and White male participants aged 35-85 years in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) II, 2004-2006. Black men exhibited more psychological distress and physiological dysregulation than White men. Black and White men reported comparable use of most coping strategies, none of which demonstrated similar relationships with both stress responses. Coping strategies explained variations in psychological distress consistent with conventional protective-harmful categorizations. Coping accounted for racial disparities in men's psychological distress, as Black men reported using harmful strategies more often and were more susceptible to their negative effects. Neither differential use of coping strategies nor differing relationships accounted for racial disparities in physiological dysregulation. Findings revealed complex relationships between coping and psychological and physiological stress responses and suggest the importance of differing approaches to reducing associated racial health disparities among men.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D001741 Black or African American A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/1997/10/30/97-28653/revisions-to-the-standards-for-the classification-of-federal-data-on-race-and-ethnicity). In the United States it is used for classification of federal government data on race and ethnicity. Race and ethnicity terms are self-identified social construct and may include terms outdated and offensive in MeSH to assist users who are interested in retrieving comprehensive search results for studies such as in longitudinal studies. African American,African Americans,African-American,Afro-American,Afro-Americans,Black Americans,Blacks,Negroes,African-Americans,Negro,Afro American,Afro Americans,American, African,American, Black,Black American
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006854 Hydrocortisone The main glucocorticoid secreted by the ADRENAL CORTEX. Its synthetic counterpart is used, either as an injection or topically, in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, collagen diseases, asthma, adrenocortical deficiency, shock, and some neoplastic conditions. Cortef,Cortisol,Pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, 11,17,21-trihydroxy-, (11beta)-,11-Epicortisol,Cortifair,Cortril,Epicortisol,Hydrocortisone, (11 alpha)-Isomer,Hydrocortisone, (9 beta,10 alpha,11 alpha)-Isomer,11 Epicortisol
D000079225 Psychological Distress Negative emotional state characterized by physical and/or emotional discomfort, pain, or anguish. Emotional Distress,Distress, Emotional,Distress, Psychological
D000223 Adaptation, Psychological A state of harmony between internal needs and external demands and the processes used in achieving this condition. (From APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed). Behavior, Adaptive,Healthy Adaptation,Positive Adaptation,Psychological Recovery,Adaptation, Psychologic,Adjustment,Psychological Adaptation,Adaptation, Healthy,Adaptation, Positive,Adaptive Behavior,Adaptive Behaviors,Healthy Adaptations,Positive Adaptations,Psychologic Adaptation,Psychological Recoveries,Recovery, Psychological
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly

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