Table 2.

Difference in telomere length associated with perceived stress and covariates

	n = 647	Age adjusted		Fully adjusted
	n	β*	95% CI (lower, upper)	β†	95% CI (lower, upper)
Perceived stress level
Very low/low (0–2)	283	Reference		Reference
Moderate/high/very high (≥3)	364	−129	−290, 33	−129	−292, 33
Very low (0)	120	Reference		Reference
Low (1–2)	163	−127	−372, 118	−92	−338, 154
Moderate (3–5)	115	−290	−557, −23	−214	−483, 55
High (6–7)	139	−211	−465, 44	−220	−476, 36
Very high (8–16)	110	−100	−369, 170	−101	−372, 170
Urinary stress hormones ‡
Epinephrine
Q1	168	Reference		Reference
Q2	160	45	−181, 271	53	−172, 279
Q3	163	0	−224, 225	−8	−237, 220
Q4	152	32	−261, 197	−22	−255, 211
Norepinephrine
Q1	159	Reference		Reference
Q2	163	235	8, 462	231	4, 458
Q3	158	184	−45, 414	181	−49, 411
Q4	164	153	−76, 382	198	−35, 430
Dopamine
Q1	158	Reference		Reference
Q2	169	−135	−360, 91	−180	−406, 45
Q3	168	42	−184, 268	18	−209, 244
Q4	149	−28	−261, 205	−43	−276, 189
Cortisol
Q1	133	−171	−420, 78	−157	−409, 95
Q2	128	−74	−326, 177	−65	−319, 189
Q3	135	Reference		Reference
Q4	119	−53	−310, 204	−97	−354, 161
Q5	124	−160	−416, 95	−158	−414, 98
Major life events
Recent major stressors§
None	516	Reference		Reference
1 or more	131	181	−19, 380	214	13, 414
Major life losses∥
None	287	Reference		Reference
1	280	−128	−301, 46	−90	−266, 85
2 or more	80	71	−191, 333	89	−173, 352
Familial breast cancer risk¶
1	282	Reference	Reference
2	263	−42	−224, 140	−28	−210, 154
3	80	−69	−330, 193	−6	−268, 256
4 or more	22	−105	−560, 350	−92	−557, 373
Demographic factors
Age groups (y)
35–44	120	Reference		Reference
45–54	238	−365	−595, −135	−358	−588, −127
55–64	182	−517	−759, −276	−520	−763, −278
65–74	107	−763	−1,036, −491	−838	−1,118, −558
Race
White	539	Reference		Reference
African-American	47	19	−292, 330	68	−248, 383
Other	61	−100	−377, 176	−98	−376, 180
Education
PhD, MS	119	Reference		Reference
BA	163	−46	−292, 199	−56	−302, 190
AA/tech.	97	−121	−400, 158	−103	−385, 179
Some college	166	−89	−334, 156	8	−244, 259
≤High school	102	−303	−580, −26	−205	−491, 82
Currently living with a marital partner
Yes	484	Reference		Reference
No	163	20	−165, 205	51	−140, 241
Health status/behaviors
BMI (Measured)
<25	259	Reference		Reference
25–30	184	−199	−395, −2	−196	−394, 1
30–35	128	−247	−467, −27	−225	−447, −3
>35	73	−259	−528, 11	−263	−538, 13
Smoking
Never	305	Reference		Reference
Former	187	53	−137, 243	55	−137, 247
Current	155	−293	−494, −92	−303	−508, −99
Cardiovascular disease/diabetes
No	524	Reference		Reference
Yes	123	−342	−549, −134	−281	−495, −68
Ever diagnosed with clinical depression
No	508	Reference		Reference
Yes	139	−126	−321, 70	−78	−281, 126
Current health
Excellent	201	Reference		Reference
Very Good/Good	395	−24	−200, 153	70	−113, 253
Fair	38	−41	−401, 319	114	−267, 495
Poor	13	−705	−1,286, −121	−538	−1,139, 64

^*Linear regression model with telomere length as outcome, estimated β coefficient and 95% CI corresponding to difference in bp average telomere length, adjusting for age in years (continuous). Effects of age groups not further adjusted for age. Missing data on 3 for BMI.

^†Fully adjusted linear regression models (total n = 644) included stress (5 levels), smoking (current, former), non-White race (2 categories), age (continuous), and BMI (4 levels).

^‡Creatinine-adjusted values for hormones measured in first morning urines, by quartiles (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) and quintiles (cortisol); Q1 = low. Urinary assay values were missing for n = 4, 4, 3, and 8, respectively.

^§Recent major stressors in past 24 mo, including death of first degree relative or death of spouse, divorce, or separation.

^∥Major life losses (premature death of first degree relative). Sum of occurrences across categories: including death of a child (any age), death of parent or a sibling before age 65.

^¶Summation: total number of first degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer + occurrences of diagnoses before age 45 in a mother, sister, or daughter.