Stress in low income communities

Stress in low-income communities has a severe impact on mental and physical well-being. Factors like financial insecurity, inadequate housing, and limited healthcare resources contribute to chronic distress. This leads to higher rates of depression, anxiety, obesity, heart disease, and weakened immune systems. To address these issues, it is important to understand the daily lives of those in impoverished areas and focus on strategies that alleviate financial instability, housing insecurity, and improve healthcare access. Mindfulness techniques and social support can be effective coping strategies. Political activism and advocating for systemic change are also crucial in improving the overall well-being of low-income communities. Personal experiences highlight the challenges faced and the need for affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and support systems. By implementing these strategies and promoting well-being, better health equity can be achieved in these communities. Hey, everyone. Welcome to my podcast on stress in low-income communities. Let's get started, shall we? Stress among low-income communities is an issue of concern because it severely affects people's mental and physical well-being. Communities residing there have several stressful factors influencing their daily life, like financial insecurity, absence or lack of proper housing quality, as well as limited healthcare resources. Dealing with the insufficiency in resources required for covering regular costs raises major concerns, leading them towards living under constant pressure, contributing mainly towards chronic distress over an extended period. Prolonged tension brings damaging outcomes on people's mental well-being, leading them towards higher rates of depression and anxiety, while endangering their physical health, including an increased risk for obesity, heart disease, and weakened immune system. Gaining insight into the situations inhabiting the daily lives of those residing in impoverished areas is imperative when working towards creating meaningful transformations. Finding and addressing the causes of stress by using strategies that alleviate financial instability, housing insecurity, and improve healthcare access help lessen the negative impacts on the mental and physical health of these individuals. By advocating the well-being in these communities, we can work towards achieving better health equity and improving the overall quality of life for community members. For starters, what is stress? Stress is a response in our mind and body when we confront a challenge, demand, or threat. As a physiological and psychological self-preservation mechanism activates within us, it readies our mental and physical capability to grapple with such stresses. Although helpful for spurring temporary action, prolonged exposure to stress hormones can ultimately jeopardize our health and happiness. Overall, there are various stressors that arise in low-income communities that have a negative impact. The pervasive uncertainty surrounding one's financial situation and stability tends to be a major source of stress for those living in impoverished neighborhoods. The financial challenges of living life day-to-day with a lack of means to provision essentials such as healthy food, shelter, and medical care creates unrelenting concerns and insecurities. According to a peer-reviewed study conducted by J.A. Smith, a staggering 75% of individuals in low-income communities reported experiencing significant financial stress. This financial strain directly affects mental health leading to increased levels of anxiety and depression and overall emotional distress. The uncertainty of not having the funds to support their family and themselves can make it difficult to maintain an optimistic mindset and make good decisions. The growing experience of financial stress can develop new mental health issues as well as worsen existing ones. Another major source of stress for these individuals is housing insecurity. Housing insecurity refers to the instability and uncertainty people face regarding their housing situation. It affects individuals who struggle to afford suitable housing and face eviction or foreclosure. According to a survey done by Matthew Desmond from Harvard University, tenants in eviction court found that one-third devoted at least 80% of their household income to rent and 92% received an eviction notice for falling behind. Desmond et al. 2013. They found that a big chunk of these areas were spending a huge portion, 80% or more, of their household income on rent alone. This shows how much financial pressure they are under struggling to keep up with the rising cost of housing. Shockingly, the study asserted that 92% of the respondents received eviction notifications due to an inability to pay rental charges prior to their due dates. Imagine living with the constant worry of losing your home. This highlights the urgent need for action to make housing more affordable and ease the stress faced by low-income individuals and families trying to find a stable place to live. Lastly, another big stressor that individuals often face is lack of access to health care. A study conducted among low-income families in Oregon examined health care access through a mixed methods analysis of 722 survey responses. The analysis identified three major barriers reported by these families. Those barriers were lack of insurance coverage, limited access to services, and unaffordable costs. Notably, the data revealed that the reporting of those barriers varied based on insurance status. A higher percentage of uninsured patient parents, 87%, reported difficulties obtaining insurance coverage compared to the 40% of those with insurance, while concerns about access to services or health care costs were less frequently expressed by the uninsured, 19% Devoe, et al., 2007. The study showed that accessing essential health care services is stressful, especially for low-income communities. Although insurance lessened their fiscal concerns, the situation of the medically indigent, while voiced with less frequency, was no less distressing. While there are evident challenges facing low-income communities regarding stress, the necessity for targeted relief efforts to remedy them is equally apparent. Working towards making sure everyone can afford and easily access the health care they need is essential, so they don't have to deal with complex systems and financial burdens. Although low-income communities may face significant stressors, coping strategies and available resources, if leveraged effectively, can provide meaningful support and respite. One strategy is mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing, have been found effective in reducing stress by directing attention to the present moment and entering a state of relaxation. Arch and Krask, 2006. Through the deliberate practice of meditation, one can develop an ability to remain composed and disengaged from the distressing thoughts concerning past or future stressors that might otherwise preoccupy the mind. Deep breathing exercises further contribute to stress reduction by promoting relaxation of the mind and body. Practice of mindfulness allows people to create a sense of inner peace and well-being through an intentional focus on the present moment. Another coping strategy is social support. In low-income communities, it's especially important to seek social support from others while dealing with stress. Connecting with people and joining support groups can provide emotional help to face those difficulties. Thottis, 2011. In communities where resources are limited, having supportive relationships become even more crucial to an individual's well-being. Sharing experiences, expressing feelings, and receiving encouragement can make a big difference in reducing stress and feeling less alone. By reaching out for social support, people in low-income communities can find ways to cope, gain valuable insight, and build resilience in challenging situations. Despite the challenges life brings, employing methods which cultivate resilience and tranquility enables individuals to overcome hardships, control anxieties, and augment their comprehensive welfare. To fix underlying causes of stress in low-income communities, it's essential to do more than just cope with the effects and work towards making changes in the system. Political activism empowers individuals to express their concerns and exert influence over policy decisions that have direct impact on their lives. Frederick, et al., 2014. Individuals can use political activism to address stress in low-income communities. They can raise awareness about the challenges faced by these in communities, build public support, and engage with policymakers by writing letters, making calls, and participating in public hearings. Joining or creating advocacy allows people to work together for systemic solutions. Supporting local organizations, voting, and encouraging civic engagement are also important ways to make a difference. Through these actions, individuals can help create better health equity and improve the overall well-being of low-income communities. Here's an interview with someone who's experienced stress in low-income communities. My name is Alexis Romero. I'm 24 and I'm currently a college student at Truckee Meadows Community College. Thanks, thanks for joining us. Happy to have you on here. Yeah, thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak about this topic. Can you share just a little, like, your personal experience with stress related to living in a low-income community? So yeah, a while back I decided to move in with my significant other. We found this apartment. It was a little expensive, but it was the cheapest apartment we could find at the moment. We lasted about three months before we ran into financial issues, forcing me to get a second job as a delivery driver. I was working construction at the time and it was taking a huge toll on my body, so I found it difficult to get myself to deliver food after. But the rent was late, so I had no choice but to see it through. My energy levels were extremely low and my moods were no longer positive. I was stressing out daily and felt ashamed because it took me three weeks just to make rent. How has that, like, impacted your overall well-being? What were some specific challenges you faced managing that stress? So yeah, I wasn't handling it very well at the time. Not only that, but my friends would also ask me to hang out and I had to decline every single time because I was just too scared to spend any money. Working all day just to see my money gone made me extremely depressed and I was just ready to give up. The amount of stress I was going through was enough for me to become numb to the whole situation. My meals weren't that great and I was accumulating late I was becoming angry with myself because I was stuck in the sloop and I couldn't find a way out. So for a brief moment, I felt better about my situation because I actually had money in my bank. Unfortunately, I had to make monthly payments towards my loan every month, which only added to my expenses. Did you find any, like, other coping strategies or support systems that helped you navigate that stress? During this time, I spoke with family and friends seeking for comfort and I found myself with more time and spent, you know, a good hour daily at the gym. Going to the gym pushed me to cook healthier meals and I found efficient ways to spend my money on groceries. My stress levels reduced and I became a bit more pleased with my situation. So based off of that, like, in your opinion, like, what are some effective ways that people in low-income communities can address and alleviate that stress? Out there are some resources and programs that could be offered to low-income communities, like food stamps and WIC, which help families with groceries, enabling them to save money for other expenses. There are also social groups that can be beneficial by allowing low-income communities to talk about their problems with others in the same situation, allowing them to not feel alone. Do you believe, like, addressing and advocating for systemic change can, like, impact the stress levels of individuals? I believe advocating for systematic change can create awareness to such issues and push for policy changes that work toward better health equity. I believe this could create a positive difference for those who struggle with financial issues, alleviating that stress. That's all. Thanks for joining us. Yeah, thanks for having me. In conclusion, the reality of the unfortunate combination of stress and socioeconomic difficulties prevalent in many low-income communities proves undoubtedly detrimental to the overall welfare of those inhabiting such places. The challenges of financial security, unstable housing, and limited access to health care contribute to chronic stress leading to mental and physical health issues. While there are certainly ways to mitigate stress, such as immersing oneself in the present moment through mindfulness practices or drawing strength from close personal relationships, advocating for meaningful policy reforms by engaging in grassroots political efforts that seek to raise public awareness about the systemic causes of these stressors can help achieve positive transformations. By implementing these strategies and promoting well-being, we can work towards creating a fairer and healthier environment for low-income communities. Thank you for listening.