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Social Adversity in Adolescence Increases the Physiological Vulnerability to Job Strain in Adulthood: A Prospective Population-Based Study

Author

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  • Hugo Westerlund
  • Per E Gustafsson
  • Töres Theorell
  • Urban Janlert
  • Anne Hammarström

Abstract

Background: It has been argued that the association between job strain and health could be confounded by early life exposures, and studies have shown early adversity to increase individual vulnerability to later stress. We therefore investigated if early life exposure to adversity increases the individual's physiological vulnerability job strain in adulthood. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a population-based cohort (343 women and 330 men, 83% of the eligible participants), we examined the association between on the one hand exposure to adversity in adolescence, measured at age 16, and job strain measured at age 43, and on the other hand allostatic load at age 43. Adversity was operationalised as an index comprising residential mobility and crowding, parental loss, parental unemployment, and parental physical and mental illness (including substance abuse). Allostatic load summarised body fat, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, glucose, blood lipids, and cortisol regulation. There was an interaction between adversity in adolescence and job strain (B = 0.09, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.16 after adjustment for socioeconomic status), particularly psychological demands, indicating that job strain was associated with increased allostatic load only among participants with adversity in adolescence. Job strain was associated with lower allostatic load in men (β = −0.20, 95% CI −0.35 to −0.06). Conclusions/Significance: Exposure to adversity in adolescence was associated with increased levels of biological stress among those reporting job strain in mid-life, indicating increased vulnerability to environmental stressors.

Suggested Citation

  • Hugo Westerlund & Per E Gustafsson & Töres Theorell & Urban Janlert & Anne Hammarström, 2012. "Social Adversity in Adolescence Increases the Physiological Vulnerability to Job Strain in Adulthood: A Prospective Population-Based Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(4), pages 1-8, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0035967
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035967
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    1. Leidjaira Lopes Juvanhol & Enirtes Caetano Prates Melo & Marilia Sá Carvalho & Dóra Chor & José Geraldo Mill & Rosane Härter Griep, 2017. "Job Strain and Casual Blood Pressure Distribution: Looking beyond the Adjusted Mean and Taking Gender, Age, and Use of Antihypertensives into Account. Results from ELSA-Brasil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Dinne Skjærlund Christensen & Trine Flensborg-Madsen & Ellen Garde & Åse Marie Hansen & Jolene Masters Pedersen & Erik Lykke Mortensen, 2018. "Early life predictors of midlife allostatic load: A prospective cohort study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(8), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Shawna Beese & Julie Postma & Janessa M. Graves, 2022. "Allostatic Load Measurement: A Systematic Review of Reviews, Database Inventory, and Considerations for Neighborhood Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-23, December.
    4. China Mills & Diego Zavaleta & Kim Samuel, 2014. "Shame, Humiliation and Social Isolation: Missing Dimensions of Poverty and Suffering Analysis," OPHI Working Papers 71, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    5. Kang, Jeong-han & Kim, Jibum & Lee, Min-Ah, 2016. "Marital status and mortality: Does family structure in childhood matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 152-160.

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