Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

Collecting Hair Samples for Hair Cortisol Analysis in African Americans
Published on: June 10, 2018
Allostatic load and health status of African Americans and whites
Patricia A Deuster1, Su Jong Kim-Dorner, Alan T Remaley
1Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA. pdeuster@usuhs.mil
Objectives:
To compare health risks in 84 healthy African American and 45 white men and women after calculating allostatic load (AL) from biologic, psychosocial, and behavioral measures.
Methods:
Participants (18-45 years) ranging in weight from normal to obese and without hypertension or diabetes. Fitness, body fat, CRP, mood, social support, blood pressure, sleep and exercise habits, coping, and insulin responses were dichotomized as low/high risk and summed for AL.
Results:
African Americans (3.4±1.9) had significantly higher AL than that of whites (2.4±1.9; P<0.05). Significantly more African Americans had AL≥3 (67.9%) than did whites (48.9%).
Conclusions:
Identifying cumulative AL may help identify and address the underpinnings of health disparities in African Americans.
Related Concept Videos
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Surveys
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Principles of Pharmacogenetics: Types of Genetic Variants
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
