Stress response and lifestyle differences among Western Samoan men (catecholamines) [microform]
- Bib ID:
- 3282764
- Format:
- Book and Microform
- Author:
- James, Gary Douglas
- Description:
- 189 p.
- Summary:
-
Lifestyle modifications associated with sociocultural change may be an important source of stress in populations of developing countries. Sympathetic adrenal medullary activity as measured by urinary excretion of catecholamines and blood pressure may be used to measure this stress. This study compares rates of catecholamine excretion and blood pressure among groups of Western Samoan men classified as having traditional or Western lifestyles, examines associations between specific lifestyle characteristics and these measures, and examines associations among lifestyle, catecholamine excretion and blood pressure. The effects of lifestyle on stress response were examined by comparing the catecholamine excretion rates and blood pressure across four groups.
The groups consisted of men whose age ranged from 18 to 52 years and included 31 village agriculturalists from Salamumu, 28 manual laborers and 33 sedentary workers from the urban capital, Apia, and 31 students from the University of the South Pacific Agricultural College. The rates of catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine) excretion were determined from timed urine collections taken upon rising and after two to four hours of morning activity. Lifestyle characteristics were developed from interviews and recalls and assessed psychological, cultural, activity and dietary differences. Relationships among the characteristics, catecholamine excretion and blood pressure were analyzed over three periods: overnight, mid-morning, and these periods combined.
Multivariate techniques were employed to examine specific relationships among the variables. The group comparisons indicate that over each period, the mean excretion rates and blood pressure of the villagers are generally lower than the Apia groups. The students have higher mid-morning epinephrine excretion than the other Apia groups. Comparisons of lifestyle characteristics and excretion rates indicate that psychological and cultural characteristics are associated with an increase in overnight excretion; but, during the morning, activity and dietary variables contribute most to variation in excretion. Individuals with Western lifestyles also tended to have higher stress responses, which may result from the combined effects of changes in psychological, behavioral and activity patterns.
Finally, enhanced norepinephrine output was associated with higher systolic pressure, which may indicate that increased sympathetic activity contributes to the higher blood pressures of the urban groups.
- Notes:
-
- (UnM)AAI8506634
- Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 1019.
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Pennsylvania State University, 1984.
- Reproduction:
- Microfiche. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International.
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Physical
- Other authors/contributors:
- The Pennsylvania State University
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Published
- Publication date:
- 1984
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