Table 2 Survey weighted Cox proportional hazard models presented as Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) for the association between educational attainment/allostatic load and risk of cancer death, among 4,677 (weighted N = 9,381,049) NHANES African American women with 241 (weighted n = 394,768) cancer-related deaths

Educational Attainment and Allostatic Load Status

Unadjusted

Age Adjusted

Fully Adjusted

College graduate or more with low allostatic load

6 (2.7)

308.6 (1.9)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

College graduate or more with high allostatic load

12 (4.4)

275.5 (2.0)

1.62 (0.49–5.30)

0.92 (0.28–3.02)

0.79 (0.24–2.61)

Some college with low allostatic load

17 (2.8)

246.2 (1.2)

1.02 (0.32–3.26)

1.19 (0.37–3.83)

1.00 (0.30–3.26)

Some college with high allostatic load

28 (3.4)

235.8 (1.2)

1.32 (0.48–3.66)

0.85 (0.30–2.41)

0.70 (0.24–2.01)

HS diploma or equiv. with low allostatic load

12 (1.7)

260.7 (0.7)

0.55 (0.21–1.45)

0.68 (0.26–1.76)

0.53 (0.21–1.35)

HS diploma or equiv. with high allostatic load

55 (6.1)

251.8 (1.3)

1.97 (0.75–5.17)

1.25 (0.49–3.18)

0.98 (0.38–2.49)

<HS with low allostatic load

15 (2.5)

290.7 (1.7)

0.90 (0.33–2.44)

0.87 (0.32–2.41)

0.63 (0.22–1.75)

<HS with high allostatic load

96 (7.5)

294.8 (2.1)

2.98 (1.24–7.15)

1.11 (0.45–2.74)

0.82 (0.33–2.04)

Educational Attainment Stratified Results

Among participants with < HS

Low allostatic load

15 (2.5)

290.7 (1.7)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

High allostatic load

96 (7.5)

294.8 (2.1)

3.28 (1.88–5.73)

1.41 (0.74–2.7)

1.39 (0.73–2.66)

Among participants with HS Diploma or Equiv.

Low allostatic load

12 (1.7)

260.7 (0.7)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

High allostatic load

55 (6.1)

251.8 (1.3)

3.61 (1.92–6.76)

1.76 (0.94–3.35)

1.76 (0.93–3.33)

Among participants with Some College

Low allostatic load

17 (2.8)

246.2 (1.2)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

High allostatic load

28 (3.4)

235.8 (1.2)

1.30 (0.60–2.84)

0.66 (0.27–1.62)

0.66 (0.27–1.62)

Among participants with College Graduate or More

Low allostatic load

6 (2.7)

308.6 (1.9)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

1.00 (Referent)

High allostatic load

12 (4.4)

275.5 (2.0)

1.94 (1.39–2.71)

0.82 (0.25–2.72)

0.75 (0.21–2.65)

p-value for interaction between education and allostatic load

< 0.01

< 0.01

< 0.01

Percentages are weighted. Cox proportional hazard models are estimated using NHANES survey weighting.

Mean survival months are unweighted.

Fully adjusted is for age, family poverty to income ratio, and current smoker status.