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Social economics of childhood glucocorticoid stress response and health
Author(s) -
Flinn Mark V.,
England Barry G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199701)102:1<33::aid-ajpa4>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , psychosocial , population , medicine , social class , psychology , health care , demography , environmental health , gerontology , psychiatry , sociology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
This study examines socioeconomic conditions, psychosocial stress, and health among 264 infants, children, adolescents, and young adults aged 2 months to 18 years residing in a rural Caribbean village. Fieldwork was conducted over a 9 year period (1988–1996). Research methods and techniques include salivary cortisol radioimmunoassay (N = 22,438), systematic behavioral observations, psychological questionnaires, health evaluations, medical records, informal interviews, and participant observation. Analyses of data indicate complex relations among socioeconomic conditions, stress, and health. Household income, land ownership, parental education, and other socioeconomic measures are weakly associated with child illness. There is no evidence that apparent material benefits of high socioeconomic status—such as improved housing, diet, work loads, and access to private healthcare—have important direct effects on child health in this population. However, social relationships, especially family environment, may have important effects on childhood psychosocial stress and illness. Abnormal glucocorticoid response profiles, diminished immunity, and frequent illness are associated with unstable mating relationships of parents/caretakers and household composition. We suggest that family relationships and concomitant stress and immunosuppression are important intermediary links between socioeconomic conditions and child health. Am J Phys Anthropol 102:33–53, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.