Prospective data from the Women's Health Initiative on depressive symptoms, stress, and inflammation. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jones, Salene MW; Weitlauf, Julie; Danhauer, Suzanne C; Qi, Lihong; Zaslavsky, Oleg; Wassertheil-Smoller, Sylvia; Brenes, Gretchen A; LaCroix, Andrea Z
• Is Part Of: Journal of health psychology. Volume 22:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 457
• Page End: 464
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: depression -- inflammation -- psychological distress -- stress -- women's health; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 613.019
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105315603701
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1053

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal association of depressive symptoms and stressful life events with inflammation in the Women's Health Initiative. Women aged 50 years and older ( N = 7477) completed questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms and stressful life events at baseline and 15 years later. Serum measures of C-reactive protein were collected at both assessments. In bivariate analyses, C-reactive protein predicted 15-year depressive symptoms and stressful life events ( p s < .03) and baseline depressive symptoms and stressful life events predicted later C-reactive protein ( p s < .03). These longitudinal relationships were not maintained in multivariate adjusted analyses. Combined with previous research, this suggests the relationship between depression, stressful life events and inflammation attenuates with time.