Are sociodemographic variables markers for psychological determinants of health?

Argues that the robust associations between sociodemographic variables and the major causes of morbidity and mortality are due in part to correlated psychological factors. To make this case concrete, the article reviews the psychological determinants of morbidity and mortality that are correlated with educational attainment and sex. It discusses the importance of health psychologists' studies of age, sex, ethnicity, and educational/occupational status to understanding why, how, and in whom psychological factors are contributors to disease.