Table 5 Parameter estimates for significant predictor variables for chronic stress compared to low chronic stress

VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS

 Low-medium chronic stress

  QoL Psychological health

-.17

.05

13.22

1

p < .001

.85

  QoL Environment

-.22

.04

25.75

1

p < .001

.80

  Mood disturbance (POMS)

.04

.01

64.74

1

p < .001

1.04

 High-medium chronic stress

  QoL Psychological health

-.33

.05

38.24

1

p < .001

.72

  QoL Environment

-.41

.05

68.07

1

p < .001

.67

  Mood disturbance (POMS)

.07

.01

148.11

1

p < .001

1.07

  Sex—Women

.50

.16

9.17

1

P = .002

1.64

 High chronic stress

  QoL Physical health

-.19

.05

12.36

1

p < .001

.83

  QoL Psychological health

-.43

.06

46.52

1

p < .001

.65

  QoL Environment

-.47

.06

64.81

1

p < .001

.63

  Mood disturbance (POMS)

.10

.01

269.08

1

p < .001

1.10

  Sex—Women

.66

.21

9.49

1

p = .002

1.93

SEX AS MODERATOR OF STRESS

 Low-medium chronic stress

  QoL Psychological health – Women

-.20

.06

12.85

1

p < .001

.82

 QoL Environment –

  Women

-.18

.05

11.51

1

p = .001

84

  Men

-.33

.08

18.66

1

p < .001

.72

Between levels no significant difference

 Mood disturbances –

  Women

.04

.01

31.78

1

p < .001

1.04

  Men

.05

.01

32.19

1

p < .001

1.05

Between levels no significant difference

High-medium chronic stress

 QoL Psychological health –

  Women

-.33

.06

27.14

1

p < .001

.72

  Men

-.32

.10

10.82

1

p = .001

.73

Between levels no significant difference

 QoL Environment –

  Women

-.38

.06

41.24

1

p < .001

.69

  Men

-.46

.09

25.53

1

p < .001

.63

Between levels no significant difference

 Mood disturbance –

  Women

.06

.01

75.38

1

p < .001

1.06

  Men

.08

.01

72.97

1

p < .001

1.08

Between levels no significant difference

 High chronic stress

QoL Physical health -

  Women

-.24

.06

14.20

1

p < .001

.78

 QoL Psychological Health –

  Women

-.40

.07

28.57

1

p < .001

.67

  Men

-.56

.12

20.32

1

p < .001

.57

Between levels no significant difference

 QoL Environment –

  Women

-.40

.07

33.45

1

p < .001

.67

  Men

-.67

.11

35.13

1

p < .001

.51

Between levels no significant difference

 Mood disturbance –

  Women

.09

.01

156.68

1

p < .001

1.10

  Men

.11

.01

105.36

1

p < .001

1.11

Between levels no significant difference

DEGREE OF EDUCATION AS MODERATOR OF STRESS

 Low-medium chronic stress

  QoL Psychological health – University education

.25

.08

9.35

1

p = .002

.78

 QoL Environment –

  Secondary vocational education

-.70

.12

10.32

1

p = .001

.69

  Higher vocational education

-.45

.12

14.73

1

p < .001

.64

Between levels no significant differences

 Mood disturbance -

  Up to secondary education

.05

.01

12.56

1

p < .001

1.05

  Secondary vocational education

.03

.01

7.18

1

p = .007

1.03

  Higher vocational education

.04

.01

11.75

1

p = .001

1.05

  University education

.05

.01

27.36

1

p < .001

1.05

Between levels of up to secondary and secondary vocational z-score = 2.43 significant

 High-medium chronic stress

  QoL Psychological health -

  Secondary vocational education

-.362

.13

8.02

1

p = .005

.70

  Higher vocational education

-.408

.14

8.44

1

p = .004

.67

  University education

-.398

.09

19.45

1

p < .001

.67

Between levels no significant differences

 QoL Environment –

  Secondary vocational education

-.49

.12

15.47

1

p < .001

.61

  Higher vocational education

-.55

.14

15.33

1

p < .001

.58

  University education

-.35

.08

18.74

1

p < .001

.71

  Other

-.69

.17

15.55

1

p < .001

.50

Between levels no significant differences

 Mood disturbance –

  Up to secondary education

.07

.01

24.53

1

p < .001

1.07

  Secondary vocational education

.05

.01

18.37

1

p < .001

1.05

  Higher vocational education

.07

.01

25.59

1

p < .001

1.07

  University education

.08

.01

62.58

1

p < .001

1.08

  Other

.06

.01

18.07

1

p < .001

1.07

Between levels no significant differences

High chronic stress

 QoL Psychological health -

  Secondary vocational education

-.46

.15

9.80

1

p = .002

.63

  Higher vocational education

-.58

.19

8.93

1

p = .003

.56

  University education

-.49

.11

20.39

1

p < .000

.61

Between levels no significant differences

 QoL Environment –

  Up to secondary education

-.36

.14

63.6

1

p = .012

.70

  Secondary vocational education

-.53

.15

13.04

1

p < .001

.59

  Higher vocational education

-.83

.19

19.49

1

p < .001

.43

  University education

-.37

.09

14.93

1

p < .001

.69

  Other

-.65

.21

9.83

1

p = .002

.52

Between levels no significant differences

 Mood disturbance –

  Up to secondary education

.10

.01

46.03

1

p < .001

1.11

  Secondary vocational education

.07

.01

26.55

1

p < .001

1.07

  Higher vocational education

.10

.02

39.55

1

p < .001

1.11

  University education

.12

.01

116.33

1

p < .001

1.13

  Other

.10

.02

33.15

1

p < .001

1.10

Between levels of up to secondary and secondary vocational z-score = 2.42 significant