Demographics, stress, and depression in a community health screening.

Stress has been found to a significant factor in the development of physical illness. The relationship between demographic factors such as gender and age and their influence on stress and illness has not been extensively investigated. The present study investigated the relationship among life events, affective disorders, life satisfaction, and stress symptoms in a cross-sectional sample of 463 ambulatory visitors to a voluntary health screening. Age relationships were found to be strongest for life satisfaction, stress symptoms, and life stresses, whereas gender was the major factor in depression. The importance of gender and age as moderators of stress relationships is discussed with its possible implications for life-stage development.