Stressful life events and illness occurrence in rural versus urban women.

Stressful life events and illness occurrence were examined in a sample of rural and urban Wyoming women (N = 157). Modified versions of Norbeck's Life Experiences Survey (LES) for Women and Wyler's Seriousness of Illness Scale were used. The results indicated no significant rural-urban differences in the number or intensity of stressful life events. A strong positive correlation between stressful life events and illness occurrence, particularly in relation to the total number of events experienced, was found.