Social inequalities, stressors and self reported health status among African American and White women in the Detroit metropolitan area

This article examines the cumulative effects of multiple stressors on women 's health, by race and area of residence. Specifically, we examine socioeco nomic status, experiences of unfair treatment and acute life events by race and residential location, and their cumulative effects on the health statu s of African American and white women living within the city of Detroit and in the surrounding metropolitan area. African American women, regardless o f whether they live inside or outside the city, report more frequent encoun ters with everyday unfair treatment than white women. African American wome n who live in the city report a greater number of acute life events than wh ite women who live outside the city. Regression analyses used to examine th e cumulative effects of exposure to these stressors by race and area of res idence show that: (1) socioeconomic status, everyday experiences with unfai r treatment and acute life events each make a significant contribution to d ifferences in health status; and (2) the contribution of each of these vari ables to explaining variations in health status varies by area of residence . We suggest that differences in socioeconomic status, exposure to unfair t reatment or discrimination and experiences of acute life events make signif icant contributions to racial differences in women's health status. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.