THE INFLUENCE OF ACCULTURATION ON ENDOCRINE REACTIVITY DURING ACUTE STRESS IN URBAN BLACK-MALES

Urbanization is a world-wide phenomenon and results in a radical and s ometimes total change in living conditions. This process is accompanie d by a significant increase in the incidence of western-type diseases virtually unknown in traditional rural communities. Especially in a mu lticultural society like South Africa, rural people moving to the city will experience cultural shock leading in many cases to a large degre e of acculturation. In this study the effect of acculturation on endoc rine reactivity was studied in a population of Tswanas. It was found t hat significant differences in endocrine reactivity exist not only bet ween rural Tswanas and urban whites but in some instances also between rural Tswanas and urban Tswanas. During the cold presser test, the te stosterone reactivity and to a lesser extent the prolactin reactivity of the urban Tswanas tended to approach that of the white group as a f unction of their level of acculturation. All the Tswana groups had a s ignificantly higher plasma renin activity during acute stress than the whites, which could have a bearing on the tendency of urban blacks to develop hypertension.