Still, it surprised the Rutgers team that the counties in the state with the least traffic congestion, the lowest population density and, probably, the smallest overall property tax bills, would most need “Marcus Welby, M.D.” actor Robert Young to come back from the dead and ask “Why so tense?” while hawking decaffeinated coffee on TV.
But, there’s a possible reason for stress gaps that didn’t entirely escape the researchers: “It’s people who say they have trouble paying their bills, even if they’re not low-income,” said Joel Cantor, director of the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy.