Association of Perceived Stress with Stressful Life Events, Lifestyle and Sociodemographic Factors: A Large-Scale Community-Based Study Using Logistic Quantile Regression

Abstract

Objective. The present paper aimed at investigating the association between perceived stress and major life events stressors in Iranian general population. Methods. In a cross-sectional large-scale community-based study, 4583 people aged 19 and older, living in Isfahan, Iran, were investigated. Logistic quantile regression was used for modeling perceived stress, measured by GHQ questionnaire, as the bounded outcome (dependent), variable, and as a function of most important stressful life events, as the predictor variables, controlling for major lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. This model provides empirical evidence of the predictors' effects heterogeneity depending on individual location on the distribution of perceived stress. Results. The results showed that among four stressful life events, family conflicts and social problems were more correlated with level of perceived stress. Higher levels of education were negatively associated with perceived stress and its coefficients monotonically decrease beyond the 30th percentile. Also, higher levels of physical activity were associated with perception of low levels of stress. The pattern of gender's coefficient over the majority of quantiles implied that females are more affected by stressors. Also high perceived stress was associated with low or middle levels of income. Conclusions. The results of current research suggested that in a developing society with high prevalence of stress, interventions targeted toward promoting financial and social equalities, social skills training, and healthy lifestyle may have the potential benefits for large parts of the population, most notably female and lower educated people.

Level of Anxiety and Depression in Cardiac Syndrome X

“…Patients with lower educational status had more anxiety scores and experienced stressful events ( p = 0.03). Previous studies have revealed consistent results on the relationships between perceived stress and education level and support our findings [27]. Least educated women tend to be Type B, angry, pessimistic, depressed, and dissatisfied with their work, precluded from social support and self-esteem [28].…”

“…Our findings verify their results; however, men did not show higher depression scores and experience of stressful life events than healthy men group. This may be explained by the degree of stress and the reaction of males, which can be influenced by various factors such as greater effect of sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, personal characteristics, sociodemographic, and cultural and occupational variables [27]. …”

Life-stress and reactivity by gender in a longitudinal birth cohort at 30 and 35 years

“…Gender differences in stress reactivity have been attributed to structural inequalities in the social environment. Structural inequalities are differences in society, usually in income and education, that exist where groups such as women are systematically disadvantaged compared to men [19,36]. Finally, (4) Gender-role socialization.…”

Association of perceived stress with depressive symptoms in older Taiwanese: Results of a population‐based study

“…6 The development of depression in later life is likely to involve multi-risk factors encompassing genetic vulnerabilities, physical illness, disability, cognitive derangements, physiological dysregulation, age-associated neurobiological changes and stressful events. [14][15][16] Personal burden and responsibilities change according to stages in life. Stressful life events might create psychological distress in older persons by eroding their sense of personal control and feelings of self-worth.…”

“…9 Studies have shown that concerns over one's own health 5,7,10 and financial hardships [11][12][13] are two major situations of perceived stress, but concern over one's own job, relationship strain with family members, and worry over family members' health, financial, work and marital problems have also been reported to be important stressors in older adults. [14][15][16] Personal burden and responsibilities change according to stages in life. Zheng and Lin observed three specific "peaks" representing different types of life events associated with stages of transitions in the life of the contemporary Chinese population.…”