Perceived stress and biological risk: is the link stronger in Russians than in Taiwanese and Americans?

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive statistics for analysis variables, by sex and study^a.

	Men			Women
Variable (observed range)	Moscow (n = 839)^b	Taiwan (n = 556)^b	US (n = 477)^b	Moscow (n = 961)^b	Taiwan (n = 480)^b	US (n = 577)^b
Age in years (35–97), mean (SD)	67.4 (8.4)	66.1 (9.3)	58.7 (11.9)	69.7 (8.9)	64.9 (9.1)	57.5 (11.4)
Education
None, %	^c	10.6	^c	^c	31.9	^c
Elementary only, %	3.0	47.4	0.2	5.4	43.6	0.0
Incomplete secondary, %	13.2	12.5	3.6	17.7	10.1	3.3
Complete secondary, %	18.9	15.5	16.4	16.4	7.0	24.2
Some college or specialized training, %	25.2	6.1	28.7	30.3	2.9	29.6
University graduate, %	39.7	8.0	51.2	30.3	4.6	42.9
Perceived stress scale (0–38), mean (SD)	14.4 (5.7)	9.1 (6.1)	11.3 (5.9)	17.1 (6.2)	10.7 (6.6)	12.0 (6.3)
Scores <10, %	20.6	54.8	44.4	11.9	46.1	37.8
Scores 10–19, %	61.8	39.2	45.3	52.4	44.7	50.0
Scores 20+, %	17.6	6.0	10.3	35.7	9.2	12.2
Overall physiological dysregulation (0–13), mean (SD)	4.4 (2.4)	2.6 (1.8)	3.6 (2.3)	4.7 (2.4)	2.6 (1.9)	3.3 (2.3)
Standard CV/metabolic subscore (0–8), mean (SD)	2.3 (1.7)	1.3 (1.2)	2.1 (1.7)	2.7 (1.6)	1.3 (1.3)	1.6 (1.4)
Inflammation subscore (0–3), mean (SD)	0.8 (0.9)	0.7 (0.9)	0.6 (0.9)	0.8 (0.9)	0.7 (0.8)	0.8 (1.0)
Neuroendocrine subscore (0–4), mean (SD)	1.3 (1.1)	0.6 (0.7)	0.9 (0.8)	1.3 (1.1)	0.6 (0.7)	0.9 (0.7)
Heart rate dysregulation (0–4), mean (SD)	0.8 (1.0)	N/A	N/A	0.8 (1.0)	N/A	N/A

CV = Cardiovascular; N/A: not available.

^aBased on weighted analyses for Moscow and Taiwan and unweighted analyses for the U.S.

^bStatistics for each variable are based on respondents with valid data. The total unweighted sample size ranges from 1678 to 1800 in Moscow, 977 to 1036 in Taiwan, and 1015 to 1054 in the US depending on missing data.

^cThere is no response category for “no education” in Moscow or the US; the lowest category is elementary school or less.

Figure 1. Standardized coefficients for perceived stress from models predicting physiological dysregulation, men, by country.

Figure 2. Standardized coefficients for perceived stress from models predicting physiological dysregulation, women, by country.

Table 2. Coefficients for perceived stress scale from models predicting physiological dysregulation^a, by sex and study.

	Moscow^b		Taiwan^c		US^d
	b	β	b	β	b	β
Men
Overall physiological dysregulation	0.051***	0.12	−0.029*	−0.10	0.005	0.01
Standard cardiovascular/metabolic subscore	0.032**	0.11	−0.020*	−0.11	0.007	0.03
Inflammation subscore	0.014*	0.09	−0.012*	−0.08	−0.002	−0.01
Neuroendocrine subscore	0.007	0.04	0.005	0.04	−0.002	−0.02
Heart rate dysregulation	0.015*	0.09	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Women
Overall physiological dysregulation	0.032*	0.09	−0.002	−0.01	0.045**	0.13
Standard cardiovascular/metabolic subscore	0.001	0.00	−0.001	−0.01	0.031**	0.14
Inflammation subscore	0.008	0.06	0.002	0.01	0.007	0.05
Neuroendocrine subscore	0.021***	0.13	−0.001	−0.01	0.005	0.04
Heart rate dysregulation	0.012*	0.07	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05

b = Unstandardized coefficient; β = Standardized coefficient; N/A = Not available

^aModels for each outcome are fit separately by sex and study; all models adjust for age, age-squared and education. For Moscow and the US, we grouped those with incomplete secondary education or less into the lowest category. For Taiwan, the lowest category comprises those with no education.

^bFor models of overall dysregulation among Muscovites, the analysis sample comprises 769 men and 903 women. The analysis sample is larger for the subscores (ranging from 781 to 819 for men and 907 to 942 for women).

^cFor models of overall dysregulation among Taiwanese, the analysis sample comprises 515 men and 436 women. The analysis sample is larger for the subscores (ranging from 517 to 538 for men and 439 to 453 for women).

^dFor models of overall dysregulation among Americans, the analysis sample comprises 460 men and 551 women. The analysis sample is larger for the subscores (ranging from 465 to 472 for men and 556 to 563 for women).