| dc.contributor |
M . Kristen Peek , Ph .D . |
|
| dc.date |
2011 -12 -20T16 :04 :53Z |
|
| dc.date |
2010 -09 -28 |
|
| dc.date |
2011 -12 -20T16 :04 :53Z |
|
| dc.date |
2009 -07 -10 |
|
| dc.date |
2009 -07 -03 |
|
| dc.date.accessioned |
2012 -03 -01T21 :54 :11Z |
|
| dc.date.available |
2012 -03 -01T21 :54 :11Z |
|
| dc.date.issued |
2012 -03 -01 |
|
| dc.identifier |
etd -07102009 -093238 |
|
| dc.identifier |
http : / /hdl .handle .net /2152 .3 /152 |
|
| dc.identifier.uri |
http : / /hdl .handle .net /2152 .3 /152 |
|
| dc.description |
A firmly established and frequently reported pattern in the distribution of health status in the U .S . is that non -Hispanic blacks (NHB ) have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than do non -Hispanic whites (NHW ) . Although much research has examined the relationships between race and health many questions pertaining to the processes that lead to such persistent disparities remain . There is accumulating evidence showing that the psychosocial environment at work affects the mental and physical health of workers . Specifically , work characterized by heavy demands and low decision latitude have the greatest negative effect on health . Using data from a nationally representative cross -sectional survey of U .S . adults 18 years and older , a sample of NHB and NHW who were regular , permanent employees having been with their current job for at least 9 months were selected for analysis (N = 2 ,255 ) . The outcome for this project , self -assessed health (SAH ) , has been shown to be a valid and reliable measure of overall health status and a valid measure across racial /ethnic groups . There is a strong association between poor SAH and morbidity , mortality , and physical disability . Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of reporting differences in SAH on a 5 -item Likert scale ranging from excellent to poor . Those above the median score for job demands and below the median score for decision latitude were classified as having a high strain job and were compared to three other categories ; low , passive , and active strain jobs . NHB were significantly more likely to report poorer SAH (OR : 1 .26 , 95 % CI : 1 .04 -1 .54 ) and were more likely to be in a high strain job (OR : 1 .34 , 95 % CI : 1 .04 -1 .72 ) than NHW . The racial odds disparity of reporting poorer SAH was partially mediated by the addition of job strain to the model (OR : 1 .18 , 95 % CI : 0 .97 -1 .45 ) . After adjustment for potentially confounding variables , race differences in SAH were further mediated (OR : 0 .94 , 95 % CI : 0 .75 -1 .16 ) while those having a high strain job remained significantly more likely to report poorer SAH compared to those with other job types . These results demonstrate that differences in SAH by race can be mediated to non -statistical significance by accounting solely for work environment characteristics . |
|
| dc.format |
electronic |
|
| dc.language |
eng |
|
| dc.rights |
Copyright © is held by the author . Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works . |
|
| dc.subject |
self -assessed health |
|
| dc.subject |
racial health inequalities |
|
| dc.subject |
racial health disparities |
|
| dc.subject |
psychosocial work environment |
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| dc.subject |
job strain |
|
| dc.subject |
job demand -control model |
|
| dc.subject |
general social survey |
|
| dc.title |
Race differences in self -assessed health : The role of job strain |
|
| dc.type |
text |
|
| dc.type |
thesis |
|