Association of education and receiving social transfers with allostatic load in the Swiss population-based CoLaus study

Edouard Nicod, Silvia Stringhini (), Pedro Marques-Vidal, Fred Paccaud, Gérard Waeber (), Karine Lamiraud, Peter Vollenweider and Muriel Bochud ()
Additional contact information
Edouard Nicod: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Postal: Corniche Road 10, Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland, http://www.iumsp.ch
Silvia Stringhini: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital et INSERM, Postal: Corniche Road 10, Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland, http://www.iumsp.ch
Pedro Marques-Vidal: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Postal: Corniche Road 10, Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland, http://www.iumsp.ch
Fred Paccaud: Institute of Social anPreventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Postal: Corniche Road 10, Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland, CS 50105 CERGY, 95021 CERGY PONTOISE CEDEX, http://www.iumsp.ch
Gérard Waeber : Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Postal: Bâtiment Hospitalier, , CHUV, CH-1011 Lausanne , Switzerland, http://www.chuv.ch
Peter Vollenweider: Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Postal: Bâtiment Hospitalier, , CHUV, CH-1011 Lausanne , Switzerland, http://www.chuv.ch
Muriel Bochud: Institute of Social anPreventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Postal: Corniche Road 10, Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland, http://www.iumsp.ch

No WP1412, ESSEC Working Papers from ESSEC Research Center, ESSEC Business School

Abstract: Background. Allostatic load reflects cumulative exposure to stressors throughout lifetime and has been associated with several adverse health outcomes. It is hypothesized that people with low socioeconomic status (SES) are exposed to higher chronic stress and have therefore greater levels of allostatic load. Objective. To assess the association of receiving social transfers and low education with allostatic load. Methods. We included 3'589 participants (1'812 women) aged over 35 years and under retirement age from the population-based CoLaus study (Lausanne, Switzerland, 2003-2006). We computed an allostatic load index aggregating cardiovascular, metabolic, dyslipidemic and inflammatory markers. A novel index additionally including markers of oxidative stress was also examined. Results. Men with low vs high SES were more likely to have higher levels of allostatic load (Odds ratio (OR)=1.93/2.34 for social transfers/education,95%CI from 1.45 to 4.17). The same patterns were observed among women. Associations persisted after controlling for health behaviors and marital status. Conclusions. Low education and receiving social transfers independently and cumulatively predict high allostatic load and dysregulation of several homeostatic systems in a Swiss population-based study. Participants with low SES are at higher risk of oxidative stress, which may justify its inclusion as a separate component of allostatic load.

Keywords: Allostatic load; Socioeconomic status; Chronic stress; Oxidative stress; population-based; education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 I18 I20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2014-10-03
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Working Paper: Association of education and receiving social transfers with allostatic load in the Swiss population-based CoLaus study (2014)
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