Unsecured Debt Linked to Poorer Health.

Most people likely would agree that carrying "bad" or unsecured debt--such as credit card debt and payday loans--can be stressful and anxiety inducing. Now, a researcher at the University of Missouri has found that the stress of carrying unsecured debt throughout adulthood also is linked to poorer physical health conditions, including pain that interferes with daily activities.

Adrianne Freeh, a medical sociologist and associate professor in the School of Health Professions, analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the financial health of nearly 8,000 baby boomers from age 28 to age 40 as well as their physical health at age 50.

"The most-common trend we found was that people who carried their debt with them over time experienced worse physical health later in life," Frech says. Those with consistently high debt were 76% more likely to have pain that interfered with their daily life compared to those with no unsecured debt, and...