and 2005 that examined how stress exposure varied by race (Hatch and Dohrenwend, 2007). Studies generally show that stressful events are more frequent among Blacks and other minority groups relative to Whites, but the literature is not entirely consistent (Franko et al., 2004). Moreover, with the literature’s emphasis on acute life events, the range of stressors examined is limited. With few exceptions (Aneshensel 2009) most studies of racial differences in stress exposure compare the distribution of stressors among Blacks versus Whites, to the exclusion of Hispanics. This is problematic because Hispanics are now the largest minority population, are disproportionately poor, and experience high levels of stressors related to acculturation, job hazards, poverty, and legal status (Finch et al., 2004; Williams et al., 2010). Within the Latino population, health is patterned by nativity status, with foreign-born Hispanics typically healthier than U.S. born Hispanics (Williams et al., 2010). Variations in stress exposure by nativity status may partially account for these differences (Tillman and Weiss, 2009).
