School teachers experience tremendous occupational stress, which can lead to low retention, missed work days, and lower quality of life. Teachers working in low-resource school districts face unique challenges and stressors, with some experiencing poor indoor air quality, crowding, and biological exposures. The objective of this pilot research was to assess cumulative stressors in low and high-resource public school districts, and the influence these stressors have on perceived stress and biological stress response for teachers. Teachers were recruited from four low-and high-resource school districts in southeast Michigan. Participants were surveyed on demographics, occupation, health, and perceived stressors. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at the time of the survey. Individual salivary Cortisol samples were collected in the afternoon (n=3) and evening (n=3) following the survey. An environmental survey of each teacher's classroom and school was conducted to assess room and school conditions, noise, and proximity to major roadways and industry. Fifty-nine (n=59) teachers were recruited from 26 public schools. Teachers at low-resource school districts had higher afternoon Cortisol levels (4.12 nmol/L) and a higher prevalence of hypertension (54%), although not significant, compared to high-resource school district teachers (3.11 nmol/L and 45%, respectively). Low-resource school district teachers had significantly higher reported occupational stress (p=0.004); specifically concerning environmental quality, relationships, and demands; and were more likely to feel stressed "very often" and "fairly often" (82%) compared to high-resource school district teachers (45%). Teachers' classrooms and schools were less likely to be classified as well-maintained in low-resource school districts. This research will support priority-setting for reducing occupational and environmental stressors for school districts to improve teacher health outcomes and retention.
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