from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
The Great Recession from 2008 to 2010
affected nearly all Americans
economically, but a study from UCLA,
Duke and Drexel Universities looked at
well-known health markers in nearly five
thousand middle-age and older adults to
determine the health toll of the
recession. Researchers compared
changes in blood pressure and blood
sugar from before and after the
recession—two markers that change
rapidly in response to stress. Not only
did blood pressure and blood sugar rise
during the recession, the changes were
particularly pronounced in groups at risk
of losing their jobs or homes. The study,
in Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, may help healthcare
providers and policy makers better
prepare for the health effects of future
economic crises.