Socioeconomic Status and Psychological Well-Being Predict Cross-Time Change in Glycosylated Hemoglobin in Older Women Without Diabetes

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Vera K. Tsenkova, MA, E-mail: tsenkova{at}wisc.edu.

	Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether socioeconomic status and psychological well-being (eudaimonic and hedonic aspects) predicted nondiabetic levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) over time, after adjusting for covariates and baseline level of HbA_1c. Methods: These questions were investigated with a longitudinal sample (n = 97; age = 61–91 years) of older women without diabetes. Socioeconomic status, well-being, and health behaviors were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Fasting blood samples for assays of HbA_1c were obtained before 7 AM during the respondents’ overnight stay at the General Clinical Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. All measurements were obtained at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Results: Regression analyses showed that higher income and positive affect predicted lower levels of HbA_1c, after controlling for baseline HbA_1c and health factors. Additionally, three well-being measures (purpose in life, personal growth, and positive affect) moderated the relationship between income and HbA_1c. Conclusion: These results suggest that psychological well-being and socioeconomic status interact in important ways in influencing nondiabetic glucose metabolism.

Key Words: eudaimonic well-being, hedonic well-being, socioeconomic status, income, glycosylated hemoglobin