Educational Status, Anger, and Inflammation in the MIDUS National Sample: Does Race Matter?

Abstract

Background: Racial differences in anger frequency and expression styles have been found. Further, African Americans receive fewer health benefits from higher education than Whites. Purpose: This study seeks to investigate racial differences in how anger moderates the association between education and inflammation. Methods: Midlife in the US participants (n = 1,200; 43.0 % male; 18.5 % African American) provided education and anger data via survey assessments. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and fibrinogen were determined from a fasting blood sample following an overnight clinic visit. Results: African Americans reported higher anger-out, IL-6, and fibrinogen and lower anger-control than Whites. Anger-out predicted higher IL-6 and fibrinogen among African Americans with higher education; whereas, trait anger and anger-out predicted lower fibrinogen among Whites with higher education. Anger-out marginally predicted higher IL-6 in less educated Whites. Conclusions: Findings underscore racial differences in the benefits and consequences of educational attainment, and how social inequities and anger are manifested in inflammatory physiology.