Psychosomatic Medicine, Vol 52, Issue 2 182-198, Copyright © 1990 by American Psychosomatic Society

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Lifestyle, stress, and blood pressure in a southern black community

WW Dressler
Department of Behavioral and Community Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Tuscaloosa.

The effects of lifestyle incongruity on blood pressure were examined in research in an African-American community in the southern United States. Lifestyle incongruity is defined as the extent to which a high status style of life (based on possession of material goods and exposure to mass media) exceeds an individual's occupational class. In a sample of 186 25- to 55-year-olds, higher arterial blood pressure was related to higher lifestyle incongruity, especially among persons aged 40-55. These effects were independent of perceived chronic social role stressors, a self-report diagnosis of hypertension, age, sex, body mass, and skin color. Future research should examine more closely those social and psychological factors that might moderate the risk associated with lifestyle incongruity.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. R. Williams, H. W. Neighbors, and J. S. Jackson Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Health: Findings From Community Studies Am J Public Health, September 1, 2008; 98(Supplement_1): S29 - S37. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. L. Barnes, C. F. M. de Leon, T. T. Lewis, J. L. Bienias, R. S. Wilson, and D. A. Evans Perceived Discrimination and Mortality in a Population-Based Study of Older Adults Am J Public Health, July 1, 2008; 98(7): 1241 - 1247. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. B. Roberts, A. I. Vines, J. S. Kaufman, and S. A. James Cross-Sectional Association between Perceived Discrimination and Hypertension in African-American Men and Women: The Pitt County Study Am. J. Epidemiol., March 1, 2008; 167(5): 624 - 632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. O. Caughy, P. J. O'Campo, and C. Muntaner Experiences of Racism Among African American Parents and the Mental Health of Their Preschool-Aged Children Am J Public Health, December 1, 2004; 94(12): 2118 - 2124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Brown Everyday Life for Black American Adults: Stress, Emotions, and Blood Pressure West J Nurs Res, August 1, 2004; 26(5): 499 - 514. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. R. Williams, H. W. Neighbors, and J. S. Jackson Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Health: Findings From Community Studies Am J Public Health, February 1, 2003; 93(2): 200 - 208. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Harrell, S. Hall, and J. Taliaferro Physiological Responses to Racism and Discrimination: An Assessment of the Evidence Am J Public Health, February 1, 2003; 93(2): 243 - 248. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. E. Brown and G. D. James Physiological Stress Responses in Filipino-American Immigrant Nurses: The Effects of Residence Time, Life-Style, and Job Strain Psychosom Med, May 1, 2000; 62(3): 394 - 400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]