PERCEIVED STRESS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN KERALA
Abstract
This study examines perceived stress among older adults in Kerala, India, a region with one of the highest proportions of
elderly citizens in the country. As ageing populations face unique challenges—including chronic illness, social isolation,
and financial insecurity—understanding stress levels and their determinants is crucial for promoting healthy ageing.
Using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), data were collected from 200 adults aged 60 and above in a semi-urban area of
Kerala. Results indicated an average stress score of 20.56, with moderate variability and a slight positive skew, suggesting
that while most participants reported moderate stress, a subset experienced significantly higher levels. Gender and marital
status were key factors, with women and widowed/unmarried individuals exhibiting higher stress levels, consistent with
prior research on social support and mental health in ageing populations. The findings underscore the need for targeted
interventions, such as psychosocial support and community-based care, to mitigate stress and improve well-being among
older adults. This study contributes to gerontological research by highlighting the social determinants of stress in Kerala’s
ageing population and advocating for integrated health policies to address these challenges.
Downloads
References
Behavior, 24(4), 385–396.
2. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review.
PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316.
3. Lupien, S. J., Maheu, F., Tu, M., Fiocco, A., & Schramek, T. E. (2009). The effects of stress and stress hormones on
human cognition: Implications for the field of brain and cognition. Brain and Cognition, 65(3), 209–237.
4. Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (2007). Health outcomes of bereavement. The Lancet, 370(9603), 1960–1973.
5. Cohen, S., T. Kamarck, and R. Mermelstein. "A Global Measure of Perceived Stress." Journal of Health and Social
Behavior, vol. 24, no. 4, 1983, pp. 385–96. DOI: 10.2307/2136404.
6. Holt-Lunstad, J., T. B. Smith, and J. B. Layton. "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review."
PLoS Medicine, vol. 7, no. 7, 2010, e1000316. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316.
7. Lupien, S. J., et al. "Effects of Stress Throughout the Lifespan on the Brain, Behavior and Cognition." Nature Reviews
Neuroscience, vol. 10, no. 6, 2009, pp. 434–45. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2639.
8. Stroebe, M., H. Schut, and W. Stroebe. "Health Outcomes of Bereavement." The Lancet, vol. 370, no. 9603, 2007, pp.
1960–73. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61816-9
9. .Umberson, D., and J. K. Montez. "Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy." Journal of Health
and Social Behavior, vol. 51, no. 1_suppl, 2010, pp. S54–S66. DOI: 10.1177/0022146510383501.
10.Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social
Behavior, 24(4), 385–396.
IJRDO - Journal Of Health Sciences And Nursing ISSN: 2456-298X Volume-1 | Issue-1 | July, 2016 5
11. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review.
PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316.
12. Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (2007). Health outcomes of bereavement. The Lancet, 370(9603), 1960–1973.
13. Umberson, D., & Montez, J. K. (2010). Social relationships and health: A flashpoint for health policy. Journal of
Health and Social Behavior, 51(Suppl), S54–S66.
14. Lupien, S. J., Maheu, F., Tu, M., Fiocco, A., & Schramek, T. E. (2009). The effects of stress and stress hormones on
human cognition: Implications for the field of brain and cognition. Brain and Cognition, 65(3), 209–237.
Copyright (c) 2025 IJRDO -JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Author(s) and co-author(s) jointly and severally represent and warrant that the Article is original with the author(s) and does not infringe any copyright or violate any other right of any third parties, and that the Article has not been published elsewhere. Author(s) agree to the terms that the IJRDO Journal will have the full right to remove the published article on any misconduct found in the published article.
