Background: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with poorer health, possibly through activation of the sympathetic nervous system.
Purpose: This study aimed to examine the association between SES and catecholamine levels, and variations by acculturation.
Methods: Three hundred one Mexican-American women underwent examination with a 12-h urine collection. Analyses tested associations of SES, acculturation (language and nativity), and their interaction with norepinephrine (NOREPI) and epinephrine (EPI).
Results: No main effects for SES or the acculturation indicators emerged. Fully adjusted models revealed a significant SES by language interaction for NOREPI (p< .01) and EPI (p< .05), and a SES by nativity interaction approached significance for NOREPI (p= .05). Simple slope analyses revealed that higher SES related to lower catecholamine levels in Spanish-speaking women, and higher NOREPI in English-speaking women. Although nonsignificant, similar patterns were observed for nativity.
Conclusions: Associations between SES and catecholamines may vary by acculturation, and cultural factors should be considered when examining SES health effects in Hispanics.