Journal article
Stress, lifestyle, and quality of life in midlife and older Australian women: results from the Stress and the Health of Women Study
Women's health issues, Vol.24(1), pp.e43-e52
01/2014
PMID: 24439946
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Abstract
Background: Chronic psychological stress may pose a serious threat to health, although the mechanisms are not fully understood. This study examines the impact of stress on modifiable lifestyle factors, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and chronic illness in older Australian women.
Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from a random sample of 181 older adults aged 60 to 70 years from rural and urban areas of South-East Queensland, Australia. We used structural equation modelling to examine associations between stress, modifiable lifestyle factors, HRQOL, and chronic illness.
Findings: Parameter estimates show that older women who reported life stressors where they felt helpless and feared for their life (high-magnitude stressors) also reported higher body mass index (p = .03) and more chronic illness (p < .01). In contrast, duration of exposure to life stressors was associated with higher depressive symptom scores (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; p = .02) and sleep disturbance scores (p < .01).
Conclusions: Our findings support the link between traumatic personal histories (exposure to high-magnitude stressors) and unhealthy lifestyle factors. Findings highlight the need for more research on how stress reduction, a healthy lifestyle, and positive coping strategies can be used to reduce the effects of high-magnitude stress on HRQOL and chronic illness.
Details
- Title
- Stress, lifestyle, and quality of life in midlife and older Australian women: results from the Stress and the Health of Women Study
- Creators
- Charrlotte Seib - Queensland University of TechnologyEliza Whiteside - Queensland University of TechnologyKathryn Lee - University of California, San FranciscoJanice Humphreys - University of California, San FranciscoTiet Hanh Dao Tran - Queensland University of TechnologyLisa Chopin - Queensland University of TechnologyDebra Anderson - Queensland University of Technology
- Publication Details
- Women's health issues, Vol.24(1), pp.e43-e52
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc; NEW YORK
- Identifiers
- 991013349273302368
- Copyright
- © 2014 by the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article