Social Roles, Blood Pressure, and Health in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adults

Laura Chyu, Northwestern University
Leah Doane Sampey, Arizona State University
Emma Adam, Northwestern University
Thomas W. McDade, Northwestern University

The transition to adulthood is an important life stage during which individuals take on increasing responsibilities and roles in various social realms. The ways in which individuals combine and manage marriage, parenthood, work, and school may have important implications for stress and health. The concept of multiple roles is particularly pertinent to women, for whom increased labor force participation in the past few decades has significantly expanded women’s roles beyond marriage and motherhood. Prior research on multiple roles and health has primarily focused on self-reported, subjective health outcomes, but few studies have examined the impact on physical health measures. This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to examine blood pressure, which has been found to be influenced by chronic stress, and self-reported health. Results indicate gender-specific patterns of social roles and health, particularly health advantages among women with more social roles.