{"id":6369,"date":"2019-09-07T23:39:40","date_gmt":"2019-09-08T03:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dreamgates\/?p=6369"},"modified":"2019-09-11T23:44:30","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T03:44:30","slug":"health-stress-poverty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dreamgates\/2019\/09\/health-stress-poverty.html","title":{"rendered":"Health, Stress and Poverty"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been known for years that there\u2019s a link between\u00a0stress and socioeconomic status\u00a0— those lower in socioeconomic status tend to face greater stressors. It\u2019s also been known that\u00a0stress affects health, and that those experiencing greater levels of perceived stress tend to have more\u00a0stress symptoms\u00a0and face more stress-related health problems, such as\u00a0heart disease,\u00a0high blood pressure, and\u00a0metabolic syndrome. However, it\u2019s recently been found that children who live in poverty suffer from greater health problems than adults — and the more time spent in poverty, the worse the health outcomes.<\/p>\n

Why Is This Happening?<\/h3>\n

The study, published in the journal\u00a0Psychological Science, found that the longer kids spent in poverty, the worse their bodies were at handling the stressors of their environment, increasing their risk for long-term health problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think that these mechanisms may be related to the fact that children who grow up in poverty have a steeper life trajectory of premature health problems than other children, regardless of their socioeconomic status in adulthood,\u201d said Gary Evans, professor of human ecology at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, in a press release. \u201cThese muted responses of stress regulatory mechanisms, which are part of the cardiovascular system, not only compromise the ability of the adolescents’ bodies to respond to such stressors as noise, poor housing and family turmoil but also indicate they are suffering from more stress-induced physiological strain on their organs and tissues than other young people,\u201d said Evans.<\/p>\n

What This Means<\/h3>\n

This study has ramifications for everyone in society, not just the impoverished. \u201cPeople need to understand that not leveling the playing field when it comes to poverty costs everyone money,\u201d Evans added. \u201cIt’s very costly to society that low-income children end up getting sick prematurely and die younger than other people.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, these findings underscore the damage we can all experience from chronic stress and specific stressors, such as relationship turmoil, noise pollution, and financial woes. They also highlight the need for stress management for children -\u2014 a need that parents aren\u2019t always aware of. your kids.<\/p>\n

What You Can Do<\/h3>\n

Because these issues can affect all of us, be sure to check out the following resources:<\/p>\n