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Sanogo F, Jefferson M, Beard TA, Salhia B, Babatunde OA, Cho J, Hughes Halbert C. Social and clinical drivers of stress responses in African American breast cancer survivors. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19729. [PMID: 39183189 PMCID: PMC11345441 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70841-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Racial differences in breast cancer morbidity and mortality have been examined between Black/African American women and White women as part of efforts to characterize multilevel drivers of disease risk and outcomes. Current models of cancer disparities recognize the significance of physiological stress responses, yet data on stress hormones in Black/African American women with breast cancer and their social risk factors are limited. We examined cortisol levels in Black/African American breast cancer patients and tested their association with social and clinical factors to understand the relationship between stress responses and women's lived experiences. Seventy-two patients who completed primary surgical treatment were included in this cross-sectional study. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and chronic diseases were obtained by self-report. Breast cancer stage and diagnosis date were abstracted from electronic health records. Cortisol levels were determined from saliva samples. Compared to those without hypertension, patients with hypertension were 6.84 (95% CI 1.33, 35.0) times as likely to have high cortisol (p = 0.02). The odds of having high cortisol increased by 1.42 (95% CI 1.03, 1.95, p = 0.03) times for every point increase in negative life events. Hypertension and negative life events are associated with high cortisol levels in Black/African American patients. These findings illustrate the importance of understanding the lived experiences of these patients to enhance cancer health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatimata Sanogo
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto Street, 3rd Floor 302-J, Los Angeles, CA, 90,032, USA
| | - Melanie Jefferson
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Trista A Beard
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto Street, 3rd Floor 302-J, Los Angeles, CA, 90,032, USA
| | - Bodour Salhia
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Junhan Cho
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto Street, 3rd Floor 302-J, Los Angeles, CA, 90,032, USA
| | - Chanita Hughes Halbert
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, 1845 N Soto Street, 3rd Floor 302-J, Los Angeles, CA, 90,032, USA.
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Ashe J, Bentley-Edwards K, Skipper A, Cuevas A, Vieytes CM, Bah K, Evans MK, Zonderman AB, Waldstein SR. Racial Discrimination, Religious Coping, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among African American Women and Men. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024:10.1007/s40615-024-02113-x. [PMID: 39160432 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02113-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional study examined whether religious coping buffered the associations between racial discrimination and several modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors-systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), and cholesterol-in a sample of African American women and men. METHODS Participant data were taken from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span study (N = 815; 55.2% women; 30-64 years old). Racial discrimination and religious coping were self-reported. CVD risk factors were clinically assessed. RESULTS In sex-stratified hierarchical regression analyses adjusted for age, socioeconomic status, and medication use, findings revealed several significant interactive associations and opposite effects by sex. Among men who experienced racial discrimination, religious coping was negatively related to systolic BP and HbA1c. However, in men reporting no prior discrimination, religious coping was positively related to most risk factors. Among women who had experienced racial discrimination, greater religious coping was associated with higher HbA1c and BMI. The lowest levels of CVD risk were observed among women who seldom used religious coping but experienced discrimination. CONCLUSION Religious coping might mitigate the effects of racial discrimination on CVD risk for African American men but not women. Additional work is needed to understand whether reinforcing these coping strategies only benefits those who have experienced discrimination. It is also possible that religion may not buffer the effects of other psychosocial stressors linked with elevated CVD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Ashe
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute On Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Keisha Bentley-Edwards
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Samuel DuBois Cook Center On Social Equity, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Antonius Skipper
- The Gerontology Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Adolfo Cuevas
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Anti-Racism, Social Justice, and Public Health, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christian Maino Vieytes
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute On Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristie Bah
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michele K Evans
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute On Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alan B Zonderman
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute On Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shari R Waldstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Webb EK, Carter SE, Ressler KJ, Fani N, Harnett NG. The neurophysiological consequences of racism-related stressors in Black Americans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105638. [PMID: 38522814 PMCID: PMC11081835 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Racism-related stressors, from experiences of both implicit and explicit racial discrimination to systemic socioeconomic disadvantage, have a cumulative impact on Black Americans' health. The present narrative review synthesizes peripheral (neuroendocrine and inflammation markers), psychophysiological (heart-rate variability, skin conductance), and neuroimaging (structural and functional) findings that demonstrate unique associations with racism-related stress. Emerging evidence reveals how racism-related stressors contribute to differential physiological and neural responses and may have distinct impacts on regions involved with threat and social processing. Ultimately, the neurophysiological effects of racism-related stress may confer biological susceptibility to stress and trauma-related disorders. We note critical gaps in the literature on the neurophysiological impact of racism-related stress and outline additional research that is needed on the multifactorial interactions between racism and mental health. A clearer understanding of the interactions between racism-related stress, neurophysiology, and stress- and trauma-related disorders is critical for preventative efforts, biomarker discovery, and selection of effective clinical treatments for Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Kate Webb
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sierra E Carter
- Georgia State University, Department of Psychology, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Negar Fani
- Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA.
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Spector AL, Quinn KG, Cruz-Almeida Y, Fillingim RB. Chronic Pain Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States: The Role of Everyday Discrimination and Racial/Ethnic Identity. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104439. [PMID: 38065467 PMCID: PMC11058034 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Chronic pain disproportionately affects middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Everyday discrimination is associated with worse pain outcomes and is more prevalent among adults from racial/ethnic minoritized groups. Yet, there is limited evidence on relationships between everyday discrimination and chronic pain among middle-aged and older adults, as well as how discrimination and racial/ethnic identity may interact to influence this relationship. We used the 2018 Health and Retirement study to evaluate associations between exposure to everyday discrimination and odds to experience any, severe, and high-impact chronic pain among 5,314 Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White adults over the age of 50. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the main and interaction effects of everyday discrimination on the odds of chronic pain (any, severe, and high-impact) across racial/ethnic groups. Results showed that Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black middle-aged and older adults had a higher, unadjusted prevalence of severe and high-impact chronic pain and reported more exposure to everyday discrimination compared to non-Hispanic White middle-aged and older adults. In fully adjusted models, exposure to everyday discrimination predicted higher odds to experience each type of chronic pain. In addition, study findings showed that exposure to everyday discrimination significantly raised pain risk among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White, but not non-Hispanic Black, middle-aged, and older adults. Findings underscore the influential role of everyday discrimination on the chronic pain experiences of middle-aged and older adults, as well as differential effects across racial/ethnic groups. PERSPECTIVE: Using national data, we examined associations between discrimination and chronic pain among middle-aged and older adults, including interactions between discrimination and race/ethnicity. Exposure to discrimination predicted a higher chronic pain burden, overall. Differential effects within racial/ethnic groups underscored a need for more nuanced investigations into pain disparities among this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoinette L. Spector
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Technology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Katherine G. Quinn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research (CAIR), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Merritt CC, Muscatell KA. Discrimination and Cardiovascular Health in Black Americans: Exploring Inflammation as a Mechanism and Perceived Control as a Protective Factor. Psychosom Med 2024; 86:181-191. [PMID: 38436661 PMCID: PMC11001516 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Inflammation may be an integral physiological mechanism through which discrimination impacts cardiovascular health and contributes to racial health disparities. Limited research has examined psychosocial factors that protect against the negative effects of discrimination on inflammation. Perceived control is a promising possible protective factor, given that it has been shown to moderate the relationship between other psychosocial stressors and physiological outcomes. This study thus tested whether systemic inflammation mediated the link between discrimination and cardiovascular health and whether perceived control moderated this relationship. METHODS Data for this project included 347 non-Hispanic/Latinx Black adults (mean [standard deviation] age = 51.64 [11.24] years; 33% female) taken from the Midlife in the United States study. Perceived control and daily discrimination were assessed via self-report, and inflammation was measured via circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, and tumor necrosis factor α. Cardiovascular health was measured by morbidity of cardiovascular conditions: heart disease, hypertension, and/or stroke. RESULTS CRP (indirect effect: b = 0.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.001-0.007) and fibrinogen (indirect effect: b = 0.002, 95% CI = 0.0003-0.005) mediated the link between discrimination and cardiovascular conditions. Perceived control moderated the relationship between discrimination and CRP ( F (1, 293) = 4.58, Δ R2 = 0.013, b = -0.02, SE = 0.01, p = .033). CRP mediated the link between discrimination and cardiovascular conditions only for those who reported low levels of perceived control (Index = -0.003, 95% CI = -0.007 to -0.0001). CONCLUSION Findings provide empirical evidence of inflammation as a mechanism linking discrimination to cardiovascular conditions among Black Americans. Additionally, perceived control may be protective. Findings could suggest beliefs about control as a potential intervention target to help reduce the negative effects of discrimination on cardiovascular health among Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrington C. Merritt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Keely A. Muscatell
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Viña SM. Diminished psychedelic returns on distress: Marital status and household size. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293675. [PMID: 38451885 PMCID: PMC10919602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Although the use of psychedelics to impact health has seen growth, little research has tested the effects of culture conditions on the relationship. More specifically, how does marital status and family size affect the relationship between psychedelics and health? This study tests the relationship between Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use (LCPU), marital status, and household size (number of people living in a household) on levels of psychological distress in the past 30 days. This project uses pooled data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (2010 to 2018) (N = 674,521). The Final sample size is determined by the dependent variable, psychological distress in the past month (n = 158,633). The analysis includes a series of nested logistic regression models conducted in Stata 17. Results indicate that LCPU is independently associated with better health, but the association between LCPU and health varies across levels of household size. Larger households are associated with higher levels of distress, which are then exacerbated among psychedelics users. Furthermore, three-way interactions reveal that the negative association between household size and distress gets larger among psychedelic users who are married, divorced, and widowed. Overall, results suggest that household size negatively impacts the association between LCPU and health, with those who are married, divorced, and widowed experiencing the worst outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Viña
- Department of Sociology, The University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
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Elbasheir A, Felger JC, Michopoulos V, Ely TD, Wommack EC, Carter SE, Harnett NG, Fani N. C-reactive protein moderates associations between racial discrimination and ventromedial prefrontal cortex activation during attention to threat in Black American women. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:593-599. [PMID: 37752223 PMCID: PMC10789862 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01737-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Prior research has shown that racial discrimination (RD) impacts activation in threat network regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and middle occipital cortex during attention to threat-relevant stimuli. However, little is known about the biological mechanisms that may modulate these effects; inflammation may be a pathway linking RD and threat network activation. As such, the current study aimed to explore whether systemic inflammation, measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, may moderate the relationship between RD and activation in the vmPFC and middle occipital cortex during attention to threat. Blood samples for inflammatory marker (CRP) assays were obtained from forty Black American women (mean [SD] age, 39.93 [9.97] years; range, 22-58 years) recruited from an ongoing trauma study; participants also viewed threat-relevant stimuli as part of an attention task during fMRI. We found that CRP moderated the relationship between RD and vmPFC activation during attention to threat, such that participants with relatively higher concentrations of CRP ( ≥ 23.97 mg/L) demonstrated significant positive associations between RD and vmPFC activation [β = 0.18, CI (0.04, 0.32), t = 2.65, p = 0.01]. No significant associations were observed for participants who showed moderate (10.89 mg/L) or low (0.20 mg/L) CRP concentrations. CRP did not moderate the relationship between RD and middle occipital cortex activation. Our data present a mechanism through which RD may influence immune system activation and, in turn, threat network activation. Inflammation may contribute to brain health vulnerabilities in Black Americans via its effects on threat circuits; this merits further investigation in large-scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Elbasheir
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer C Felger
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vasiliki Michopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tim D Ely
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Evanthia C Wommack
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sierra E Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Apsley AT, Lee SA, Bhat AC, Rush J, Almeida DM, Cole SW, Shalev I. Affective reactivity to daily stressors and immune cell gene expression in the MIDUS study. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:80-88. [PMID: 37797778 PMCID: PMC10841912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Affective reactivity to stress is a person-level measurement of how well an individual copes with daily stressors. A common method of measuring affective reactivity entails the estimation of within-person differences of either positive or negative affect on days with and without stressors present. Individuals more reactive to common stressors, as evidenced by affective reactivity measurements, have been shown to have increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory markers. While affective reactivity has previously been associated with inflammatory markers, the upstream mechanistic links underlying these associations are unknown. Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher study (N = 195; 52% female; 84% white), we quantified daily stress processes over 10 days and determined individuals' positive and negative affective reactivities to stressors. We then examined affective reactivity association with peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression of the immune-related conserved transcriptional response to adversity. Results indicated that individuals with a greater decrease in positive affect to daily stressors exhibited heightened PBMC JUNB expression after Bonferroni corrections (p-adjusted < 0.05). JUNB encodes a protein that acts as a transcription factor which regulates many aspects of the immune response, including inflammation and cell proliferation. Due to its critical role in the activation of macrophages and maintenance of CD4+ T-cells during inflammation, JUNB may serve as a potential upstream mechanistic target for future studies of the connection between affective reactivity and inflammatory processes. Overall, our findings provide evidence that affective reactivity to stress is associated with levels of immune cell gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sun Ah Lee
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Aarti C Bhat
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Jonathan Rush
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - David M Almeida
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Steven W Cole
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Byrd DR, Allen JO. Multiple forms of discrimination and inflammation in Black Americans: Are there differences by sex? Soc Sci Med 2023; 321:115785. [PMID: 36801746 PMCID: PMC10072201 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Discrimination is a risk factor and potential pathway through which social determinants such as race and sex contribute to chronic inflammation in Black Americans in middle and later adulthood. Questions remain regarding which forms of discrimination are most salient for inflammatory dysregulation, and whether there are sex-based differences in these pathways. OBJECTIVE This exploratory study investigates sex differences in the relationships between four forms of discrimination and inflammatory dysregulation among middle aged and older Black Americans. METHODS Using cross-sectionally linked data from participants in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS II) Survey (2004-2006) and Biomarker Project (2004-2009) (N = 225, ages 37-84, 67% female), this study conducted a series of multivariable regression analyses. Inflammatory burden was measured using a composite indicator comprised of five biomarkers: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, E-selectin, and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). Discrimination measures were lifetime, daily, and chronic job discrimination and perceived inequality at work. RESULTS Black men generally reported higher levels of discrimination than Black women (3 out of 4 forms), though only sex differences in job discrimination achieved statistical significance (p < .001). In contrast, Black women exhibited more overall inflammatory burden than Black men (2.09 vs. 1.66, p = .024), particularly elevated levels of fibrinogen (p = .003). Lifetime discrimination and inequality at work were associated with higher levels of inflammatory burden, after adjusting for demographic and health factors (p = .057 and p = .029, respectively). The discrimination-inflammation relationships further varied by sex, such that more lifetime and job discrimination predicted greater inflammatory burden in Black women, but not in Black men. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the potentially detrimental impact of discrimination and emphasize the importance of sex-specific research on biological mechanisms of health and health disparities in Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeAnnah R Byrd
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Health North, Suite 301, 550 N 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
| | - Julie Ober Allen
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, 1401 Asp Ave., Room 118, S.J. Sarkeys Complex, Norman, OK, 73019, USA; Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, USA.
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Beydoun HA, Beydoun MA, Kwon E, Hossain S, Fanelli-Kuczmarski MT, Maldonado A, Evans MK, Zonderman AB. Longitudinal association of allostatic load with depressive symptoms among urban adults: Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 149:106022. [PMID: 36640448 PMCID: PMC9931667 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.106022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that lifetime exposure to stressful life events and chronic stressors may be linked to geriatric depression. Allostatic load (AL) is considered a mediator of the stress-health relationship and has been linked to psychosocial factors reflecting health disparities. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal associations of AL with depressive symptoms scores among urban adults, before and after stratifying by sex and race. METHODS Secondary analyses were performed using Visit 1 (2004-2009), Visit 2 (2009-2013) and Visit 3 (2013-2017) data collected on 2298 Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study participants (baseline age: 30-64 y). AL at Visit 1 (ALv1) and z-transformed probability of higher AL trajectory (ALtraj) between Visits 1 and 3 were calculated using cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory risk indicators. The 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was used to calculate total and domain-specific depressive symptoms scores. Mixed-effects linear models controlled for socio-demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics. RESULTS In fully adjusted models, a positive cross-sectional relationship was observed between ALv1 and "somatic complaints" depressive symptoms (β = 0.21, P = 0.006) score at Visit 1, whereas ALtraj was associated with increasing depressive symptoms score (β = 0.086, P = 0.003) between Visits 1 and 3. An inverse relationship was observed between ALtraj and "positive affect" depressive symptoms score at Visit 1 among women (β = -0.31, P < 0.0001) and White adults (β = -0.32, P = 0.004). Among women, ALtraj was also positively related to change in "somatic complaints" depressive symptoms score between Visits 1 and 3 (β = 0.043, P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS Among urban adults, AL may be associated with "somatic complaints" depressive symptoms at baseline. Higher AL trajectories may predict increasing depressive symptoms (overall) and increasing "somatic complaints" depressive symptoms (among women). A higher AL trajectory may be associated with lower "positive affect" depressive symptoms at baseline among women and White adults only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hind A Beydoun
- Department of Research Programs, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA, USA.
| | - May A Beydoun
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edward Kwon
- Department of Family Medicine, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA, USA
| | - Sharmin Hossain
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marie T Fanelli-Kuczmarski
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana Maldonado
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michele K Evans
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alan B Zonderman
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Carbone JT, Holzer KJ, Clift J, Fu Q. Latent profiles of biological dysregulation and risk of mortality: time-to-event analysis using the Midlife in the US longitudinal study. J Epidemiol Community Health 2023; 77:182-188. [PMID: 36627117 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2021-218073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a well-established relationship between high allostatic load (AL) and increased risk of mortality. This study expands on the literature by combined latent profile analysis (LPA) with survival data analysis techniques to assess the degree to which AL status is associated with time to death. METHODS LPA was employed to identify underlying classes of biological dysregulation among a sample of 815 participants from the Midlife in the US study. Sex-stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between class of biological dysregulation and time to death while controlling for sociodemographic covariates. RESULTS The LPA resulted in three classes: low dysregulation, immunometabolic dysregulation and parasympathetic reactivity. Women in the immunometabolic dysregulation group had more than three times the risk of death as compared with women in the low dysregulation group (HR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.47 to 7.07), but that there was not a statistically significant difference between the parasympathetic reactivity group and the low dysregulation group (HR=1.80, 95% CI: 0.62 to 5.23). For men, the risk of death for those in the immunometabolic dysregulation (HR=1.79, 95% CI: 0.88 to 3.65) and parasympathetic reactivity (HR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.34 to 3.65) groups did not differ from the low dysregulation group. CONCLUSION The findings are consistent with the previous research that demonstrates increased AL as a risk factor for mortality. Specifically, in women, that increased risk may be associated with immunometabolic dysregulation and not simply a generalised measure of cumulative risk as is typically employed in AL research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Carbone
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Katherine J Holzer
- St Louis School of Medicine, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jennifer Clift
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Qiang Fu
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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Cuevas AG, Mann FD, Krueger RF. Discrimination Exposure and Polygenic Risk for Obesity in Adulthood: Testing Gene-Environment Correlations and Interactions. Lifestyle Genom 2023; 16:90-97. [PMID: 36750036 PMCID: PMC11078300 DOI: 10.1159/000529527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Exposure to discrimination has emerged as a risk factor for obesity. It remains unclear, however, whether the genotype of the individual can modulate the sensitivity or response to discrimination exposure (gene × environment interaction) or increase the likelihood of experiencing discrimination (gene-environment correlation). METHODS This was an observational study of 4,102 white/European Americans in the Health and Retirement Study with self-reported, biological assessments, and genotyped data from 2006 to 2014. Discrimination was operationalized using the average of nine Everyday Discrimination Scale items. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were calculated using the weighted sum of risk alleles based on studies conducted by the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium. RESULTS We found that greater PRS-BMI was significantly associated with more reports of discrimination (β = 0.04 ± 0.02; p = 0.037). Further analysis showed that measured BMI partially mediated the association between PRS-BMI and discrimination. There was no evidence that the association between discrimination and BMI, or the association between discrimination and WC, differed by PRS-BMI or PRS-WC, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that individuals with genetic liability for obesity may experience greater discrimination in their lifetime, consistent with a gene-environment correlation hypothesis. There was no evidence of a gene-environment interaction. More genome-wide association studies in diverse populations are needed to improve generalizability of study findings. In the meantime, prevention and clinical intervention efforts that seek to reduce exposure to all forms of discrimination may help reduce obesity at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo G. Cuevas
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, School of Global Public Health, New York University
| | - Frank D. Mann
- Department of Family, Population, and Preventative Medicine, Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University
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Spector AL, Quinn KG, Wang I, Gliedt JA, Fillingim RB, Cruz-Almeida Y. More Problems, More Pain: The Role of Chronic Life Stressors and Racial/Ethnic Identity on Chronic Pain Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2023; 7:24705470231208281. [PMID: 37881639 PMCID: PMC10594967 DOI: 10.1177/24705470231208281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
There is a high prevalence of chronic pain among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Chronic life stressors have been shown to have detrimental consequences for myriad health conditions, including chronic pain. However, there is limited evidence on the types of chronic life stressors that affect middle-aged and older adults and how these stressors influence the chronic pain burden in this population. Moreover, the interaction between chronic life stressors and racial/ethnic identity remains poorly understood as it relates to chronic pain. The current analysis used the 2018 Health and Retirement Study to investigate relationships between chronic life stressors and odds to experience any chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain. Chronic life stressors were characterized, overall and by racial/ethnic identity, and the main and interaction effects were calculated to evaluate relationships between chronic life stressors, racial/ethnic identity, and odds of experiencing any chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain. Results indicate that in 2018, the most common chronic life stressor among middle-aged and older adults was dealing with their own health problems (68%), followed by dealing with the physical or emotional issues affecting a spouse or child (46%). Adjusted analyses showed that a higher total of chronic life stressors increased the odds of middle-aged and older adults experiencing any chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain. There were no significant interactions between the overall chronic life stress burden and racial/ethnic identity as a predictor of odds to experience any chronic pain or high-impact chronic pain, but significant interaction effects were found related to specific chronic life stressors. Findings underscore the significant impact of chronic life stressors on the chronic pain burden among middle-aged and older adults in the United States, which cut across racial/ethnic identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoinette L. Spector
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Technology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Katherine G. Quinn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Inga Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Technology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jordan A. Gliedt
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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14
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Attribution for everyday discrimination typologies and mortality risk among older black adults: Evidence from the health and retirement study? Soc Sci Med 2023; 316:115166. [PMID: 36450613 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study assessed how attributions of everyday discrimination typologies relate to all-cause mortality risk among older Black adults. METHODS This study utilized data from a subsample of older Black adults from the 2006/2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Attributions for everyday discrimination (i.e., ancestry, age, gender, race, physical appearance, physical disability, sexual orientation, weight, and other factors) were based on self-reports, while their vital statuses were obtained from the National Death Index and reports from key informants (spanning 2006-2019). We applied latent class analysis (LCA) to identify subgroups of older Black adults based on their attributions to everyday discrimination. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze time to death as a function of LCA group membership and other covariates. RESULTS Based on fit statistics, we selected a four-class model that places respondents into one of the following classes: Class One (7%) attributed everyday discrimination to age, race, and physical disability; Class Two (72%) attributed everyday discrimination to few/no sources, Class Three (19%) attributed everyday discrimination to race and national origin; and Class Four (2%) attributed everyday discrimination to almost every reason. After adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral, multisystem physiological dysregulation, and socioeconomic characteristics, we found that the relative risk of death remained higher for the respondents in Class One (Hazard Ratio [H.R.]: 1.80, 95% Confidence Interval [C.I.]: (1.09-2.98) and Class Four (H.R.: 3.92, 95% C.I.: 1.62-9.49) compared to respondents in Class Two. CONCLUSIONS Our findings illustrate the utility of using attribution for everyday discrimination typologies in research on the psychosocial dimensions of mortality risk among older Black adults. Future research should assess the mechanisms that undergird the link between everyday discrimination classes and all-cause mortality risk among older Black adults.
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15
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Muscatell KA, Alvarez GM, Bonar AS, Cardenas MN, Galvan MJ, Merritt CC, Starks MD. Brain-body pathways linking racism and health. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2022; 77:1049-1060. [PMID: 36595402 PMCID: PMC9887645 DOI: 10.1037/amp0001084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Racial disparities in health are a major public health problem in the United States, especially when comparing chronic disease morbidity and mortality for Black versus White Americans. These health disparities are primarily due to insidious anti-Black racism that permeates American history, current culture and institutions, and interpersonal interactions. But how does racism get under the skull and the skin to influence brain and bodily processes that impact the health of Black Americans? In the present article, we present a model describing the possible neural and inflammatory mechanisms linking racism and health. We hypothesize that racism influences neural activity and connectivity in the salience and default mode networks of the brain and disrupts interactions between these networks and the executive control network. This pattern of neural functioning in turn leads to greater sympathetic nervous system signaling, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation, and increased expression of genes involved in inflammation, ultimately leading to higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the body and brain. Over time, these neural and physiological responses can lead to chronic physical and mental health conditions, disrupt well-being, and cause premature mortality. Given that research in this area is underdeveloped to date, we emphasize opportunities for future research that are needed to build a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the brain-body pathways linking anti-Black racism and health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Keely A Muscatell
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Gabriella M Alvarez
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Adrienne S Bonar
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Megan N Cardenas
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Manuel J Galvan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Carrington C Merritt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Maurryce D Starks
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Fani N, Eghbalzad L, Harnett NG, Carter SE, Price M, Stevens JS, Ressler KJ, van Rooij SJH, Bradley B. Racial discrimination associates with lower cingulate cortex thickness in trauma-exposed black women. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2230-2237. [PMID: 36100659 PMCID: PMC9630426 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01445-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Racial discrimination (RD) has been consistently linked to adverse brain health outcomes. These may be due in part to RD effects on neural networks involved with threat appraisal and regulation; RD has been linked to altered activity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and structural decrements in the anterior cingulum bundle and hippocampus. In the present study, we examined associations of RD with cingulate, hippocampus and amygdala gray matter morphology in a sample of trauma-exposed Black women. Eighty-one Black women aged 19-62 years were recruited as part of an ongoing study of trauma. Participants completed assessments of RD, trauma exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and underwent T1-weighted anatomical imaging. Cortical thickness, surface area and gray matter volume were extracted from subregions of cingulate cortex, and gray matter volume was extracted from amygdala and hippocampus, and entered into partial correlation analyses that included RD and other socio-environmental variables. After correction for multiple comparisons and accounting for variance associated with other stressors and socio-environmental factors, participants with more RD exposure showed proportionally lower cortical thickness in the left rACC, caudal ACC, and posterior cingulate cortex (ps < = 0.01). These findings suggest that greater experiences of RD are linked to compromised cingulate gray matter thickness. In the context of earlier findings indicating that RD produces increased response in threat neurocircuitry, our data suggest that RD may increase vulnerability for brain health problems via cingulate cortex alterations. Further research is needed to elucidate biological mechanisms for these changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Leyla Eghbalzad
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sierra E Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew Price
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanne J H van Rooij
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bekh Bradley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
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17
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Forrester SN, Whitfield KE, Kiefe CI, Thorpe RJ. Navigating Black Aging: The Biological Consequences of Stress and Depression. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:2101-2112. [PMID: 34875069 PMCID: PMC9683493 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Black persons in the United States are more likely to suffer from social inequality. Chronic stress caused by social inequality and racial discrimination results in weathering of the body that causes physiological dysregulation and biological age being higher than chronological age (accelerated aging). Depression has been linked to both racial discrimination and accelerated aging and accelerated aging has been demonstrated to be higher in Black than White persons, on average. However, we know little about accelerated aging across the life course in Black Americans. METHODS We used mixed-effects growth models to measure biological age acceleration, measured with cardiometabolic markers, over a 20-year period in Black participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study who were aged 27-42 years at analytic baseline. We included an interaction between depressive symptoms and time to determine whether risk of depression was associated with a faster rate of biological aging. RESULTS We found that the rate of biological aging increased over a 20-year span and that those at risk for depression had a faster rate of biological aging than those not at risk. We also found that various social factors were associated with biological age acceleration over time. DISCUSSION Given the known association between perceived racial discrimination and depressive symptoms, we provide a novel instance of the long-term effects of social inequality. Specifically, biological age acceleration, a marker of physiological dysregulation, is associated with time among Black persons and more strongly associated among those with depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Forrester
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Catarina I Kiefe
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roland J Thorpe
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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18
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Carroll JE, Price JE, Brown J, Bamishigbin O, Shalowitz MU, Ramey S, Dunkel Schetter C. Lifetime discrimination in low to middle income mothers and cellular aging: A prospective analysis. Soc Sci Med 2022; 311:115356. [PMID: 36122526 PMCID: PMC10024938 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experiences of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, and other characteristics are associated with adverse health outcomes, including elevated rates of morbidity in later life and earlier mortality. Acceleration of biological aging is a plausible pathway linking discrimination to disease risk. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of self-reported lifetime and everyday discrimination to women's telomere length several years after birth of a child in a longitudinal cohort study. METHODS The Community Child Health Network (CCHN) conducted a community-based participatory research project focused on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in maternal and child health. Data for the current substudy are from a longitudinal cohort study in 3 of the 5 project sites. This multi-site community-based longitudinal study was conducted in Lake County, IL north of Chicago, Washington, D.C., and rural North Carolina. Participants were low to middle-income mothers (N = 103) with a primary identity of Hispanic/Latina, Black, or non-Hispanic White who rated their experience of everyday and lifetime discrimination during an at-home interview one-month postpartum. Buccal samples were collected to assay buccal cell telomere length several years later when a consecutive child was 3-5 years of age. Telomere length derived from buccal cells was used as a biomarker indicating cellular aging and a risk factor for age-related disease. RESULTS Mothers (18-39 years old) who reported higher lifetime discrimination had shorter telomere length an average of 5.6 years later (B = -0.22 [SE = 0.04], p < 0.001). Mother's reports of everyday discrimination were not significantly related to telomere length (0.01[0.01], p = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that lifetime exposure to discrimination, but not necessarily current reports of everyday discrimination, may increase biological aging as indicated by shorter buccal cell telomere length, providing evidence of a plausible route through which discrimination contributes to increased risk for earlier onset aging and age-related disease in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Carroll
- University of California, Los Angeles, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, United States.
| | - Jonah Eliezer Price
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Joni Brown
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, United States
| | | | - Madeleine U Shalowitz
- NorthShore University HealthSystem, Department of Pediatrics, Rush University, Department of Psychiatry, United States
| | - Sharon Ramey
- Virginia Tech, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Departments of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Human Development, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine and Pediatrics, United States
| | - Christine Dunkel Schetter
- University of California, Los Angeles, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, United States; University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, United States
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Jones NE, Lewis K, Brown AM. Navigating a hyperracialized space: exploring the intersections of whiteness, social control, and mental health in st. louis county, missouri. ETHNIC AND RACIAL STUDIES 2022; 46:966-986. [PMID: 36919022 PMCID: PMC10010681 DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2022.2085523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Places marred by a legacy of racial violence have contemporary implications for racial and ethnic minorities. However, there is limited work examining how racial and ethnic minorities perceive and navigate these spaces and how they may affect their health. We examine the daily lives of Black residents of St. Louis County, living in what we refer to as a hyperracialized space, or areas characterized by multiple forms of violence, to understand how navigating a hyperracialized space impacts how Black residents negotiate space and make meaning of their health. Qualitative interviews (n = 20) revealed three themes: (1) Whiteness and the maintenance of a hyperracialized space, (2) unspoken rules of police encounters and the embodiment of self-regulation, (3) and hypervigilance. Narratives reveal how individuals and institutions concretize a hyperracialized space through social control. Moreover, participants discussed how their environment influenced how they interacted with and navigated space, the toll of which elicited hypervigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E. Jones
- Department of Sociology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, US
| | - Kaleea Lewis
- Department of Public Health and Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, US
| | - Alaysia M. Brown
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, US
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20
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Boots EA, Feinstein DL, Leurgans S, Aiken-Morgan AT, Fleischman DA, Lamar M, Barnes LL. Acute versus chronic inflammatory markers and cognition in older black adults: Results from the Minority Aging Research Study. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 103:163-170. [PMID: 35439553 PMCID: PMC9704497 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral inflammation is elevated in older Black adults, an elevation which prior work has suggested may be due to chronic stress associated with systemic racism and related adverse cardiovascular health conditions. Inflammation is also involved in the pathogenic processes of dementia; however, limited (and mixed) results exist concerning inflammation and cognitive decline in Black adults. We characterized patterns of inflammation and their role in cognitive decline in 280 older Black adults (age = 72.99 ± 6.00 years; 69.6% female) from the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS) who were without dementia at baseline and followed between 2 and 15 years (mean = 9 years). Participants completed a blood draw at baseline and annual cognitive evaluations. Serum was assayed for 9 peripheral inflammatory markers; 19 neuropsychological test scores were used to create indices of global cognition and five cognitive domains. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation characterized patterns of inflammation with factor loadings > 0.6 per component contributing to two composite scores representing acute/upstream and chronic/downstream inflammation. These composites were used as separate predictors in linear mixed regression models to determine associations with level and change in cognition adjusting for relevant covariates. Higher baseline upstream/acute inflammation associated with lower baseline semantic memory (p = .040) and perceptual speed (p = .046); it was not related to cognitive decline. By contrast, higher baseline downstream/chronic inflammation associated with faster declines in global cognition (p = .010), episodic (p = .027) and working memory (p = .006); it was not related to baseline cognition. For older Black adults, chronic, but not acute, inflammation may be a risk factor for changes in cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Boots
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Douglas L Feinstein
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sue Leurgans
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Adrienne T Aiken-Morgan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill NC 27516, USA
| | - Debra A Fleischman
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lisa L Barnes
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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Walsh KT, Boring BL, Nanavaty N, Guzman H, Mathur VA. Sociocultural context and pre-clinical pain facilitation: Multiple dimensions of racialized discrimination experienced by Latinx Americans are associated with enhanced temporal summation of pain. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1885-1893. [PMID: 35753661 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The experiences of injustice and their impacts on pain among Latinx Americans are overlooked and understudied. Multidimensional and consequential experiences of racialized discrimination are common for Latinx Americans but have not been considered as factors relevant for enhanced pain experience or risk. In this study, we focused on the experiences of Latinx Americans living in Texas by assessing multiple dimensions of racialized discrimination (total lifetime discrimination, racialized exclusion, stigmatization, discrimination in the workplace or school, and racism-related threat and aggression) and a laboratory marker of central sensitization of pain (temporal summation of mechanical pain, MTS). Among 120 adults who did not have chronic pain, nearly all (94.2%) experienced racialized discrimination. Accumulated lifetime experience of racialized discrimination, as well as the frequency of each dimension of discrimination assessed, was associated with greater MTS. Results suggest that a process of discrimination-related central sensitization may start early, and may reflect enhanced pain experiences and pre-clinical chronic pain risk. Though replication is needed, results also indicate the discrimination and pain burden among Latinx Texans, and Latinx Americans broadly, are likely under-represented in the scientific literature. PERSPECTIVE: : Racialized discrimination is multidimensional. Latinx Texans experience frequent discrimination that is associated with enhanced temporal summation of pain in the laboratory. Results indicate the importance of societal factors in pain processing and may reflect a mechanism of racism-related pre-clinical central sensitization observable before chronic pain onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn T Walsh
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Brandon L Boring
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Namrata Nanavaty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Hanan Guzman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Diversity Science Research Cluster, College Station, Texas
| | - Vani A Mathur
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, Texas; Diversity Science Research Cluster, College Station, Texas.
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Bhat AC, Almeida DM, Fenelon A, Santos-Lozada AR. A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between housing insecurity and physical health among midlife and aging adults in the United States. SSM Popul Health 2022; 18:101128. [PMID: 35652088 PMCID: PMC9149198 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale A large body of work demonstrates the impact of housing instability on health by exploring the effects of evictions and homelessness on psychological wellbeing of young adults and children. However, limited research leverages national longitudinal data to examine whether and how experiences of a range of housing insecurity events, rather than just eviction or homelessness, affect physical health among midlife and older adults. Objective The current study examines (1) prevalence of housing insecurity among midlife and older adults by age and race, (2) linkages between housing insecurity experiences and facets of physical health, and (3) age and race moderations on these effects. Method This study employs regression models to examine whether experiences of housing insecurity affect self-rated physical health and chronic physical conditions among midlife and older adults (N = 2598) leveraging two waves of the National Study of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS). Results Models revealed that housing insecurity experiences predicted poorer self-rated physical health and additional chronic conditions, even when controlling for previous physical health. Moderation analyses indicated that housing insecurity has a stronger relationship with chronic conditions among midlife adults as compared to older adults, and among Black adults as compared to white adults. These results suggest that experiences of housing insecurity leave adults vulnerable to compromised physical health, and that housing insecurity experiences may be particularly detrimental to the health of midlife Black adults. Conclusions This research adds to the extant literature by introducing a comprehensive measure of housing insecurity experiences, and contributes to a life course perspective regarding how housing insecurity can affect physical health. This research has implications for policy that addresses housing insecurity as a public health concern, especially in the aftermath of the 2008 recession and the economic and housing crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti C. Bhat
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 405 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - David M. Almeida
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 403 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Andrew Fenelon
- School of Public Policy and Department of Sociology and Criminology, The Pennsylvania State University, 331 Pond Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Alexis R. Santos-Lozada
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 226 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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Finlay S, Roth C, Zimsen T, Bridson TL, Sarnyai Z, McDermott B. Adverse childhood experiences and allostatic load: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104605. [PMID: 35278597 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful and/or traumatic experiences associated with an increased lifetime risk of negative health outcomes. The Allostatic Load (AL) is a measure of multisystem dysregulation, resulted by chronic stress. We systematically reviewed the English language literature on the association between ACEs and AL to identify the clinical risk profile, with the exclusion of reviews and preclinical studies. Searches covered the publication period up to the 1st of February 2022 and identified 25 studies in which ACEs such as maltreatment, abuse, poverty, psychological abuse, and discrimination were investigated in the context of AL. The selected studies used different sets of AL biomarkers resulting in substantial heterogenicity of calculating the AL index. Overall, we found that ACEs are associated with elevated AL and poorer health outcomes in adulthood. Furthermore, health risk behaviors, social support, and coping resources either moderate or mediate this association. These findings suggest that targeting individuals at risk and starting interventions early might reduce AL and its deleterious health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Finlay
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Cody Roth
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tiansha Zimsen
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tahnee Lee Bridson
- North-West Mental Health, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia; Fireside Research, Woodbridge Tasmania, Australia
| | - Zoltan Sarnyai
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett McDermott
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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Lawrence JA, Kawachi I, White K, Bassett MT, Williams DR. Associations between multiple indicators of discrimination and allostatic load among middle-aged adults. Soc Sci Med 2022; 298:114866. [PMID: 35278977 PMCID: PMC9214633 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to examine associations between multiple measures of discrimination (i.e., everyday, lifetime, and appraised burden) and components of allostatic load (AL). We drew on pooled cross-sectional data from the Biomarker Project of the Midlife in the United States study (n = 2118). Ages ranged from 25 to 84 years and included mostly Black (n = 389) and white (n = 1598) adults. Quasi-Poisson models were fit to estimate prevalence ratios for each discrimination measure and high-risk quartiles across seven physiological systems (i.e., sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; HPA axis; inflammation; cardiovascular; metabolic glucose; and metabolic lipids) and overall AL scores. In fully adjusted models, everyday discrimination was associated with elevated lipids (aPR: 1.07; 95% CI 1.01, 1.13). Lifetime experiences of discrimination were associated with lower sympathetic nervous system (aPR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.98) and greater cardiovascular risk scores (aPR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.34) among those reporting three or more experiences, as well as increased inflammation (aPR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.25; aPR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.43), metabolic glucose (aPR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.19, 1.54; aPR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.68), and metabolic lipids (aPR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.24; aPR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.43) scores for those reporting one to two and three or more experiences. Appraised burden yielded nuanced associations with metabolic glucose and parasympathetic nervous system scores. Everyday and lifetime measures were also associated with higher overall AL, though burden of discrimination was only associated with AL among those reporting "a little" burden. While AL summary scores provide insight into the cumulative impacts of discrimination on health, there appear to be distinct physiologic pathways through which varying forms of discrimination contribute to AL and, ultimately, to poorer health. These unique pathways may be useful in identifying potential points of intervention to mitigate the impacts of discrimination on health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jourdyn A Lawrence
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Population Health Sciences, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA; François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kellee White
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Mary T Bassett
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David R Williams
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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25
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Ojebuoboh AR, Gonzalez-Feliciano AG, Brown KM, Khan RJ, Xu R, DeRoo LA, Lewis J, Quarells RC, Davis SK. Association of active coping to unfair treatment with perceived stress and depressive symptoms in African Americans: mh-grid study. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:134. [PMID: 35189857 PMCID: PMC8862227 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-03772-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unfair treatment such as discrimination and racism contribute to depression and perceived stress in African Americans. Although studies have examined how responding to such treatment is associated with ameliorating depressive symptoms and levels of perceived stress, most do not focus on African Americans. The purpose of this study is to assess how talking to others in response to unfair treatment is associated with self-reported depressive symptoms and perceived stress levels in African Americans. METHODS A sample from the 2010-2013 Minority Health Genomics and Translational Research Bio-Repository Database was used and consisted of 376 African American adults aged 30-55 years old residing in the southern region of the United States. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between talking to others following unfair treatment, compared to keeping it to oneself, on self-reported depressive symptoms and perceived stress. The predictor variable was based on the question "If you have been treated unfairly, do you usually talk to people about it or keep it to yourself?". RESULTS Talking to someone after being treated unfairly was inversely associated with perceived stress ([Formula: see text]: -3.62, SE: 1.14, p ≤ 0.05) and depressive symptoms ([Formula: see text]: -3.62, SE: 1.14, p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS African Americans who talked to others in response to unfair treatment had lower depressive symptoms and perceived stress than those who kept it to themselves. More outreach to African Americans regarding the importance of talk in response to exposure to unfair treatment is needed as a potential coping mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayomide R. Ojebuoboh
- grid.17635.360000000419368657University of Minnesota Medical Scientist Training Program, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Amparo G. Gonzalez-Feliciano
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
| | - Kristen M. Brown
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
| | - Rumana J. Khan
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
| | - Ruihua Xu
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
| | - Lisa A. DeRoo
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
| | - Jessica Lewis
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
| | - Rakale C. Quarells
- grid.9001.80000 0001 2228 775XCardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Sharon K. Davis
- grid.280128.10000 0001 2233 9230Social Epidemiology Research Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, USA
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Cobb RJ, Sheehan CM, Louie P, Erving CL. Multiple Reasons for Perceived Everyday Discrimination and All-Cause Mortality Risk Among Older Black Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2022; 77:310-314. [PMID: 34605539 PMCID: PMC9012980 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study assessed whether reporting multiple reasons for perceived everyday discrimination was associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality risk among older Black adults. METHODS This study utilized data from a subsample of older Black adults from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative panel study of older adults in the United States. Our measure of multiple reasons for perceived everyday discrimination was based on self-reports from the 2006/2008 HRS waves. Respondents' vital status was obtained from the National Death Index and reports from key household informants (spanning 2006-2019). Cox proportional hazard models, which accounted for covariates linked to mortality, were used to estimate the risk of all-cause mortality. RESULTS During the observation period, 563 deaths occurred. Twenty percent of Black adults attributed perceived everyday discrimination to 3 or more sources. In demographic adjusted models, attributing perceived everyday discrimination to 3 or more sources was a statistically significant predictor of all-cause mortality risk (hazard ratio = 1.45; 95% confidence interval = 1.12-1.87). The association remained significant (hazard ratio = 1.49; 95% confidence interval = 1.15-1.93) after further adjustments for health, behavioral, and economic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Examining how multiple reasons for perceived everyday discrimination relate to all-cause mortality risk has considerable utility in clarifying the unique contributions of perceived discrimination to mortality risk among older Black adults. Our findings suggest that multiple reasons for perceived everyday discrimination are a particularly salient risk factor for mortality among older Black adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryon J Cobb
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Connor M Sheehan
- School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Patricia Louie
- Department of Sociology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christy L Erving
- Department of Sociology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Fani N, Harnett NG, Bradley B, Mekawi Y, Powers A, Stevens JS, Ressler KJ, Carter SE. Racial Discrimination and White Matter Microstructure in Trauma-Exposed Black Women. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:254-261. [PMID: 34776124 PMCID: PMC8714668 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experiences of racial discrimination are linked to a range of negative brain health outcomes, but little is known about how these experiences impact neural architecture, including white matter microstructure, which may partially mediate these outcomes. Our goal was to examine associations between racially discriminatory experiences and white matter structural integrity in a sample of Black American women. METHODS We recruited 116 Black American women as part of a long-standing study of trauma. Participants completed assessments of racial discrimination, trauma exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder and underwent diffusion tensor imaging. Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values were extracted from major white matter tracts throughout the brain. RESULTS Experiences of racial discrimination were associated with significantly lower fractional anisotropy in multiple white matter tracts, including the corpus callosum, cingulum, and superior longitudinal fasciculus (ps < .004), even after accounting for variance associated with trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, and demographic- and scanner-related factors. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that experiences of racial discrimination are independently related to decrements in white matter microarchitecture throughout the brain. In individuals who have experienced other types of adversity, racial discrimination clearly has additive and distinctive deleterious effects on white matter structure. Our findings suggest a pathway through which racial discrimination can contribute to brain health disparities in Black Americans; the deleterious contributions of racial discrimination on the microstructure of major white matter pathways may increase vulnerability for the development of neurodegenerative disorders as well as the development of mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bekh Bradley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Yara Mekawi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Abigail Powers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sierra E Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
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28
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Martínez AD, Mercado E, Barbieri M, Kim SY, Granger DA. The Importance of Biobehavioral Research to Examine the Physiological Effects of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in the Latinx Population. Front Public Health 2022; 9:762735. [PMID: 35083188 PMCID: PMC8784784 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.762735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of research is documenting how racial and ethnic populations embody social inequalities throughout the life course. Some scholars recommend the integration of biospecimens representing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neurological and endocrinological processes, and inflammation to capture the embodiment of inequality. However, in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups, there has been little research examining how Hispanic/Latinx persons embody racial and ethnic discrimination, much less resulting from institutional and structural racism. We provide a rationale for expanding biobehavioral research examining the physiological consequences of racism among Latinx persons. We identify gaps and make recommendations for a future research agenda in which biobehavioral research can expand knowledge about chronic disease inequities among Latinx populations and inform behavioral and institutional interventions. We end by cautioning readers to approach the recommendations in this article as a call to expand the embodiment of racism research to include the diverse Latinx population as the United States addresses racial inequity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airín D. Martínez
- Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Evelyn Mercado
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Marielena Barbieri
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Su Yeong Kim
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Douglas A. Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, School of Nursing, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Saliva Bioscience Laboratory, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
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Ong AD, Goktas S, Reid MC. More than Hurt Feelings: The Wear and Tear of Day-to-Day Discrimination in Adults with Chronic Pain. PAIN MEDICINE (MALDEN, MASS.) 2021; 22:2925-2930. [PMID: 33830245 PMCID: PMC8665997 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnab135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the extent to which self-reported experiences of discrimination are associated with pain interference among men and women with chronic non-cancer pain. METHODS Data are from the Study of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher Cohort. The analytic sample consisted of 207 adults with chronic pain (54.2 ± 12.8 years; 53.6% female) who completed the Major Experiences of Discrimination and Everyday Discrimination scales. Regression analyses examined cross-sectional relations between discrimination and pain interference. RESULTS On average, the level of pain interference was moderate in the sample (mean = 3.46, standard deviation = 2.66; observed range 0-10). Approximately a third of respondents reported at least one major discriminatory event in their lifetime, while 22% reported three or more discriminatory lifetime events. Everyday discrimination scores averaged 14.19 ± 5.46 (observed range 0-33). With adjustment for sociodemographics, physical health, cognitive and psychological factors, social isolation, and loneliness, everyday discrimination was associated with increased pain interference (B = 0.099; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02 to 0.17). CONCLUSION These findings add weight to the importance of day-to-day experiences of interpersonal discrimination by documenting independent associations with functional interference in adults with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D Ong
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Selin Goktas
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - M Carrington Reid
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
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Dupre ME, Farmer HR, Xu H, Navar AM, Nanna MG, George LK, Peterson ED. The Cumulative Impact of Chronic Stressors on Risks of Myocardial Infarction in US Older Adults. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:987-994. [PMID: 34297011 PMCID: PMC8578196 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the association between cumulative exposure to chronic stressors and the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) in US older adults. METHODS Nationally representative prospective cohort data of adults 45 years and older (n = 15,109) were used to investigate the association between the cumulative number of chronic stressors and the incidence of MI in US older adults. Proportional hazards models adjusted for confounding risk factors and differences by sex, race/ethnicity, and history of MI were assessed. RESULTS The median age of participants was 65 years, 714 (4.7%) had a prior MI, and 557 (3.7%) had an MI during follow-up. Approximately 84% of participants reported at least one chronic stressor at baseline, and more than half reported two or more stressors. Multivariable models showed that risks of MI increased incrementally from one chronic stressor (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20-1.37) to four or more chronic stressors (HR = 2.71, 95% CI = 2.08-3.53) compared with those who reported no stressors. These risks were only partly reduced after adjustments for multiple demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, behavioral, and clinical risk factors. In adults who had a prior MI (p value for interaction = .038), we found that risks of a recurrent event increased substantially from one chronic stressor (HR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.09-1.54) to four or more chronic stressors (HR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.43-5.69). CONCLUSIONS Chronic life stressors are significant independent risk factors for cardiovascular events in US older adults. The risks associated with multiple chronic stressors were especially high in adults with a previous MI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Dupre
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Heather R. Farmer
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, DE
| | - Hanzhang Xu
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Duke School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Ann Marie Navar
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern, TX
| | - Michael G. Nanna
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Linda K. George
- Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Eric D. Peterson
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern, TX
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Guidi J, Lucente M, Sonino N, Fava GA. Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS 2021; 90:11-27. [PMID: 32799204 DOI: 10.1159/000510696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 406] [Impact Index Per Article: 135.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Allostatic load refers to the cumulative burden of chronic stress and life events. It involves the interaction of different physiological systems at varying degrees of activity. When environmental challenges exceed the individual ability to cope, then allostatic overload ensues. Allostatic load is identified by the use of biomarkers and clinical criteria. OBJECTIVE To summarize the current knowledge on allostatic load and overload and its clinical implications based on a systematic review of the literature. METHODS PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to December 2019. A manual search of the literature was also performed, and reference lists of the retrieved articles were examined.We considered only studies in which allostatic load or overload were adequately described and assessed in either clinical or non-clinical adult populations. RESULTS A total of 267 original investigations were included. They encompassed general population studies, as well as clinical studies on consequences of allostatic load/overload on both physical and mental health across a variety of settings. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that allostatic load and overload are associated with poorer health outcomes. Assessment of allostatic load provides support to the understanding of psychosocial determinants of health and lifestyle medicine. An integrated approach that includes both biological markers and clinimetric criteria is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Guidi
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy,
| | | | - Nicoletta Sonino
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Giovanni A Fava
- Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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Homandberg LK, Fuller-Rowell TE. Experiences of Discrimination and Urinary Catecholamine Concentrations: Longitudinal Associations in a College Student Sample. Ann Behav Med 2021; 54:843-852. [PMID: 32415831 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaaa033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experiences of discrimination are a risk factor for subsequent cardiovascular disease. However, there is a lack of longitudinal research examining associations between discrimination and urinary catecholamines. This is surprising given the likely mediating role of sympathetic nervous system dysregulation in the association between psychosocial stress and cardiovascular morbidity. PURPOSE The current study examined the 3 year longitudinal association between experiences of discrimination and urinary catecholamines. METHODS The sample included 149 college students (mean age at baseline = 18.8, standard deviation = 0.96; 45% Black/African American; 55% White/European American). Concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine-urinary catecholamines with established links to psychosocial stress exposure and subsequent morbidity-were determined from 12 hr overnight samples. RESULTS Results indicated that experiences of discrimination were associated with increases in both epinephrine (β = .284, standard error [SE] = .117, p = .015) and norepinephrine (β = .306, SE = .114, p = .001). These longitudinal associations persisted after adjusting for negative affect, depression, and rejection sensitivity and did not vary as a function of race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that examination of overnight urinary catecholamines as a biological mediator of associations between experiences of discrimination and cardiovascular morbidity is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia K Homandberg
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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Cuevas AG, Abuelezam N, Chan SW(C, Carvalho K, Flores C, Wang K, Mattei J, Tucker KL, Falcon LM. Skin Tone, Discrimination, and Allostatic Load in Middle-Aged and Older Puerto Ricans. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:805-812. [PMID: 34297007 PMCID: PMC8419137 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A growing body of research suggests that skin tone may be a health risk indicator for Hispanics. Black and darker-skinned Hispanics have worse mental and physical outcomes than White and lighter-skinned Hispanics. Discrimination exposure has been implicated as a risk factor that may explain the association between skin tone and health. However, there is scant research examining the interrelationship between skin tone, discrimination, and health, particularly among Puerto Ricans. We examine the interrelationships between two measures of skin tone, two measures of discrimination, and allostatic load (AL) among Puerto Rican adults. METHODS Using cross-sectional data from wave 3 of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (n = 882), we examined the indirect association (IA) of skin tone on physiological dysregulated systems, also known as AL, through major discrimination and everyday discrimination. We tested these associations using two distinct measures of skin tone: interviewer-ascribed skin tone and spectrophotometer-measured skin tone. RESULTS Interviewer-ascribed skin tone was indirectly associated with AL through major discrimination (IA = 0.03, 95% confidence interval = 0.004 to 0.06). However, there was no evidence of an IA of interviewer-ascribed skin tone on AL through everyday discrimination (IA = -0.01, 95% confidence interval = -0.03 to 0.01). In addition, there was no evidence that spectrophotometer-measured skin tone was indirectly associated with AL through major discrimination or everyday discrimination. CONCLUSIONS The sociocultural significance of skin tone may affect how Puerto Ricans are perceived and treated by others, which can, in turn, have physiological health consequences. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and examine the interrelationship between skin tone, discrimination, and other health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo G. Cuevas
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Nadia Abuelezam
- Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | - Keri Carvalho
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Kaipeng Wang
- Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Josiemer Mattei
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine L. Tucker
- Department of Biomedical & Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Luis M. Falcon
- College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
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Han SD, Lamar M, Fleischman D, Kim N, Bennett DA, Lewis TT, Arfanakis K, Barnes LL. Self-reported experiences of discrimination in older black adults are associated with insula functional connectivity. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:1718-1727. [PMID: 32720182 PMCID: PMC7854830 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00365-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Self-reported experiences of discrimination are associated with a number of negative health outcomes. However, the neurobiological correlates of discrimination remain elusive. Recent neuroimaging work suggests that the amygdala is sensitive to forms of social adversity and the insula is involved in assessments of trust. We hypothesized that functional connectivity (FC) of these brain regions may be associated with discrimination in older Black adults. One-hundred and twenty-four nondemented older Black adults participating in the Minority Aging Research Study or the Clinical Core study of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center completed a measure of self-reported experiences of discrimination and a 3T MRI brain scan including structural T1 and resting-state fMRI EPIBOLD sequences. The right and left amygdala and insula regions were anatomically delineated as ROIs according to the Harvard-Oxford Brain Atlas and whole-brain voxelwise FC analyses were conducted using default parameters in the CONN toolbox. In regression analyses controlling for demographics and global cognition, self-reported experiences of discrimination were associated with greater FC between the left insula and the bilateral intracalcarine cortex, weaker FC between the left insula and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and weaker FC between the right insula and the left supplementary motor area. Amygdala analyses yielded no significant findings. Greater self-reported experiences of discrimination are associated with differential insula functional connectivity in older adults. More specifically, results suggest that discrimination is associated with differential connectivity of a key region (the insula) involved in trust perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Duke Han
- Department of Family Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
- School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
| | - Melissa Lamar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Debra Fleischman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Namhee Kim
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Konstantinos Arfanakis
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Lisa L Barnes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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Miller HN, LaFave S, Marineau L, Stephens J, Thorpe RJ. The impact of discrimination on allostatic load in adults: An integrative review of literature. J Psychosom Res 2021; 146:110434. [PMID: 33810863 PMCID: PMC8172431 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of the paper is to critically review the current state of the literature on the association between discrimination and allostatic load (AL) in adults and determine whether this association differs by sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS An extensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase to identify studies that investigated the association between discrimination and AL. The search was limited to the English language, articles that were peer-reviewed and articles that were published within the last 10 years. RESULTS A total of 11 studies met the eligibility criteria for this review, 8 of which were cross-sectional and 3 of which were longitudinal. There was heterogeneity in the type of discrimination measured, the composition of AL summary score, and the analytic approach utilized to examine the relationship of interest. Nine studies found a significant, positive association between discrimination and AL. The types of discrimination found to be positively associated with AL included lifetime discrimination, childhood racial discrimination, everyday discrimination, and everyday weight discrimination. One study found that this association differed by educational attainment. CONCLUSION There is evidence that discrimination is associated with AL. Longitudinal studies with diverse samples are needed to further explore this association and how it differs based on sociodemographic characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey N Miller
- Duke University School of Nursing, United States of America.
| | - Sarah LaFave
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, United States of America.
| | - Lea Marineau
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, United States of America.
| | - Janna Stephens
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, United States of America.
| | - Roland J Thorpe
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States of America.
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Abstract
This study explored the associations between specific profiles of biological dysregulation and mental health outcomes in a national, community sample of healthy adults in the United States. A latent class analysis of data from the Midlife Development in the United States study (n = 1,757) was conducted to determine classes of biological dysregulation. Multinomial logistic regressions of class membership were employed to determine associations with measures related to depression, including whether or not individuals had sought treatment, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and both the generalized distress and anhedonia subscales of the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire. Four classes of dysregulation emerged: baseline/low dysregulation, metabolic and inflammatory dysregulation, parasympathetic dysregulation, and SAM pathway dysregulation. Individuals who met the criteria for depression measures were more likely to be in the metabolic and immune dysregulation and parasympathetic dysregulation groups as compared to the baseline group. The results suggest that mental health outcomes, such as depression, are differentially associated with specific profiles of biological dysregulation. A more nuanced approach to profiles of dysregulation could better inform treatment decisions.Lay summaryHigher levels of allostatic load, which represents the cumulative wear and tear of exposure to stress, are associated with increased rates of depression and anhedonia. Specifically, parasympathetic dysregulation and immunometabolic dysregulation are associated with negative mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Carbone
- School of Social Work, Integrative Biosciences (IBio) Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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Copeland JL, Currie CL, Chief Moon-Riley K. Physical Activity Buffers the Adverse Impacts of Racial Discrimination on Allostatic Load Among Indigenous Adults. Ann Behav Med 2021; 55:520-529. [PMID: 32870255 PMCID: PMC8171801 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaaa068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Racial discrimination has been associated with biological dysfunction among ethnic minorities. The extent to which regular physical activity (PA) may buffer this association is unknown. Purpose To examine the association between past-year racial discrimination and allostatic load (AL) stratified by PA within a sample of Indigenous adults. Methods Data were collected from Indigenous adults attending university in a city in western Canada between 2015 and 2017. The Experiences of Discrimination Scale was used to assess discrimination and the Godin–Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire assessed PA. A composite of seven biomarkers assessing neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune system function measured AL. Linear regression models examined associations adjusted for confounders (N = 150). Results In the insufficiently active group, every 1 point increase in racial discrimination (up to a maximum of 9) resulted in approximately one third of a point increase in AL score. In the sufficiently active group, the association between racial discrimination and AL score was not statistically significant. Conclusions A growing body of research suggests racial discrimination is associated with multisystem biological dysregulation and health risks. Increased action to address racism in society is a priority. As that work unfolds, there is a need to identify effective tools that racialized groups can use to buffer the effects of racism on their health. The present findings suggest that engagement in regular PA may attenuate the pernicious effects of discrimination on biological dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Copeland
- Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Cheryl L Currie
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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Hill LH, Holland R. Health disparities, race, and the global pandemic of COVID‐19: The demise of Black Americans. NEW DIRECTIONS FOR ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION 2021. [PMCID: PMC8652746 DOI: 10.1002/ace.20425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This article examines the chronic health conditions of African Americans who experience disparities because of poverty, low literacy, and cultural practices that affect decisions about food, nutrition, and health care. It will examine governmental policies, for example, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (Artiga et al., 2020), and how these policies contribute to health and wellbeing of people from low‐income communities. Furthermore, it explores the overrepresented deaths among African Americans and other communities of color resulting from the pandemic—deaths that result from co‐existing health conditions and the inability to afford immediate care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian H. Hill
- University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi USA
| | - Rebecca Holland
- University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi USA
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Robinson MN, Thomas Tobin CS. Is John Henryism a Health Risk or Resource?: Exploring the Role of Culturally Relevant Coping for Physical and Mental Health among Black Americans. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 62:136-151. [PMID: 34100655 PMCID: PMC8370445 DOI: 10.1177/00221465211009142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Research shows that John Henryism, a high-effort, active coping style, is associated with poor physical health, whereas others suggest it may be psychologically beneficial. As such, it is unclear whether John Henryism represents a health risk or resource for black Americans and whether its impact varies across sociodemographic and gender groups. The present study used data from a representative community sample of black Americans (n = 627) from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (2011-2014) to clarify the physical and mental health consequences of John Henryism by assessing its relationship with depressive symptoms and allostatic load (AL). Results indicate that John Henryism is associated with increased AL scores and fewer depressive symptoms. Additionally, the association between John Henryism and AL is conditional on socioeconomic status. Study results underscore the importance of evaluating both physical and mental health to clarify the health significance of John Henryism among black Americans.
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Keeping hope alive: Racial-ethnic disparities in distress tolerance are mitigated by religious/spiritual hope among Black Americans. J Psychosom Res 2021; 144:110403. [PMID: 33730637 PMCID: PMC8919343 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Racial and ethnic minorities, including Blacks/African-Americans and Hispanics/Latinos,indicate lower tolerance to psychological distress (DT) and secular hope yet endorse more religious and spiritual hope than their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts. Whether racial-ethnic minorities derive greater benefit from non-secular hope on the tolerance of psychological distress remains unclear. Self-reported endorsement of religious/spiritual (R/S) hope, secular hope, DT, and a number of other psychosocial, R/S and sociodemographic variables were analyzed from a nationwide survey of persons aged over 18 years (N = 2875) identifying as Black (14.2%), Hispanic (15.4%), or NHW (67.3%) using multiple regression. Overall, higher levels of both R/S and secular hope predicted greater DT. In turn, greater DT was associated with lower psychosomatic distress. Compared to NHW, the ethnic-minority groups reported lower overall levels of DT. An interaction for race-ethnicity further revealed that compared to distress intolerant NHW, Blacks/African-Americans at lower levels of DT report higher R/S and secular hope. Hispanics/Latinos were also higher on R/S and secular hope, but endorsed lower hope at higher levels of DT than the reference group. Although hope is considered a more passive form of coping, it is more frequently endorsed in marginalized ethnic-minority groups. However, compared to NHW, differences do exist in the extent to which R/S hope mitigates DT in Blacks/African-Americans compared to Hispanics/Latinos.
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Amaro H, Sanchez M, Bautista T, Cox R. Social vulnerabilities for substance use: Stressors, socially toxic environments, and discrimination and racism. Neuropharmacology 2021; 188:108518. [PMID: 33716076 PMCID: PMC8126433 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Applying a social determinants of health framework, this review brings attention to evidence from social sciences and neuroscience on the role of selected social factors in individual and population-level vulnerability to substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs). The understanding that social vulnerability to substance use and SUDs is multifaceted and occurs across different levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, and societal) is underscored. We propose that socially based stressors play a critical role in creating vulnerability to substance use and SUDs, and as such, deserve greater empirical attention to further understand how they "get under the skin." Current knowledge from social sciences and neuroscience on the relationships among vulnerability to substance use resulting from stressors, exposure to socially toxic childhood environments, and racism and discrimination are summarized and discussed, as are implications for future research, practice, and policy. Specifically, we propose using a top-down approach to the examination of known, yet often unexplored, relationships between vulnerability to substance use and SUDs, related inequities, and potential differential effects across demographic groups. Finally, research gaps and promising areas of research, practice, and policy focused on ameliorating social vulnerabilities associated with substance use and SUDs across the lifespan are presented. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hortensia Amaro
- Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, United States.
| | - Mariana Sanchez
- Department of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, United States.
| | - Tara Bautista
- Yale Stress Center, School of Medicine, Yale University, United States.
| | - Robynn Cox
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, And Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, University of Southern California, United States.
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Farmer HR, Wray LA, Haas SA. Race, Gender, and Socioeconomic Variations in C-Reactive Protein Using the Health and Retirement Study. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:583-595. [PMID: 32064519 PMCID: PMC7887729 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To clarify the relationships among race, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) with C-reactive protein (CRP). METHOD The present study analyzed data from 6,521 Black and White respondents aged 51 and older in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of midlife and older adults, to address two aims. We sought to (i) assess the independent associations between race, gender, and SES with CRP concentrations and (ii) test whether race, gender, and SES interacted to produce unequal CRP concentrations cross-sectionally and over a 4-year follow-up. RESULTS The results demonstrated that race, gender, and SES were each independently associated with baseline CRP, but only SES was associated with CRP at follow-up. Furthermore, race, gender, and education interacted to produce differential CRP levels at baseline. There were incremental benefits for each additional level of education for White men and women, but the relationship between education and CRP was more complicated for Black men and women. Compared with other race/gender groups with less than high school, Black women had the highest and Black men had the lowest levels of CRP. There were no apparent benefits to CRP for Black women with college compared with Black women with high school, while Black men with less than high school and college had similar concentrations of CRP. DISCUSSION In clarifying the complexity inherent in CRP disparities, this work contributes to a greater understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying racial disparities in leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather R Farmer
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Linda A Wray
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Steven A Haas
- Department of Sociology and Demography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
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Nkimbeng M, Taylor JL, Roberts L, Winch PJ, Commodore-Mensah Y, Thorpe RJ, Han HR, Szanton SL. "All I know is that there is a lot of discrimination": Older African immigrants' experiences of discrimination in the United States. Geriatr Nurs 2021; 42:196-204. [PMID: 33283756 PMCID: PMC9283083 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Discrimination is implicated in the disproportionate burden of disease and health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities. This qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of discrimination and its impact on the health of older African immigrants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Three main themes and six sub-themes were identified. These included: (1) types of discrimination which were: (a) accent-based, (b) unfair treatment during routine activities, (c) experience with systems; (2) consequences of discrimination; and (3) surviving and thriving with discrimination: (a) "blind eye to it", (b) reacting to it, (c) avoiding it. These themes described common experiences of discrimination, current strategies used to deal with discrimination, and the impact of discrimination on this sample. Health care providers should be aware of discrimination experiences, how to assess for it, and identify when to refer patients to appropriate community resources that include mental health, employment, cultural groups and legal services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manka Nkimbeng
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America.
| | - Janiece L Taylor
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Laken Roberts
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Peter J Winch
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Yvonne Commodore-Mensah
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Roland J Thorpe
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Hae-Ra Han
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Sarah L Szanton
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
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Cheadle JE, Goosby BJ, Jochman JC, Tomaso CC, Kozikowski Yancey CB, Nelson TD. Race and ethnic variation in college students' allostatic regulation of racism-related stress. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:31053-31062. [PMID: 33229568 PMCID: PMC7733862 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1922025117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Racism-related stress is thought to contribute to widespread race/ethnic health inequities via negative emotion and allostatic stress process up-regulation. Although prior studies document race-related stress and health correlations, due to methodological and technical limitations, they have been unable to directly test the stress-reactivity hypothesis in situ. Guided by theories of constructed emotion and allostasis, we developed a protocol using wearable sensors and daily surveys that allowed us to operationalize and time-couple self-reported racism-related experiences, negative emotions, and an independent biosignal of emotional arousal. We used data from 100 diverse young adults at a predominantly White college campus to assess racism-related stress reactivity using electrodermal activity (EDA), a biosignal of sympathetic nervous system activity. We find that racism-related experiences predict both increased negative emotion risk and heightened EDA, consistent with the proposed allostatic model of health and disease. Specific patterns varied across race/ethnic groups. For example, discrimination and rumination were associated with negative emotion for African American students, but only interpersonal discrimination predicted increased arousal via EDA. The pattern of results was more general for Latinx students, for whom interpersonal discrimination, vicarious racism exposure, and rumination significantly modulated arousal. As with Latinx students, African students were particularly responsive to vicarious racism while 1.5 generation Black students were generally not responsive to racism-related experiences. Overall, these findings provide support for allostasis-based theories of mental and physical health via a naturalistic assessment of the emotional and sympathetic nervous system responding to real-life social experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob E Cheadle
- Department of Sociology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712;
| | - Bridget J Goosby
- Department of Sociology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Joseph C Jochman
- Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588
| | - Cara C Tomaso
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588
| | | | - Timothy D Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588
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Cave L, Cooper MN, Zubrick SR, Shepherd CCJ. Racial discrimination and allostatic load among First Nations Australians: a nationally representative cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1881. [PMID: 33287764 PMCID: PMC7720631 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09978-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased allostatic load is linked with racial discrimination exposure, providing a mechanism for the biological embedding of racism as a psychosocial stressor. We undertook an examination of how racial discrimination interacts with socioecological, environmental, and health conditions to affect multisystem dysregulation in a First Nations population. METHODS We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of life stress, socioeconomic background, and physical and mental health from a nationally representative sample of Australian Aboriginal adults (N = 2056). We used LCA with distal outcomes to estimate the effect of the latent class variable on our derived allostatic load index and conducted a stratified analysis to test whether allostatic load varied based on exposure to racial discrimination across latent classes. RESULTS Our psychosocial, environmental, and health measures informed a four-class structure; 'Low risk', 'Challenged but healthy', 'Mental health risk' and 'Multiple challenges'. Mean allostatic load was highest in 'Multiple challenges' compared to all other classes, both in those exposed (4.5; 95% CI: 3.9, 5.0) and not exposed (3.9; 95% CI: 3.7, 4.2) to racial discrimination. Allostatic load was significantly higher for those with exposure to racial discrimination in the 'Multiple challenges' class (t = 1.74, p = .04) and significantly lower in the 'Mental health risk' class (t = - 1.67, p = .05). CONCLUSIONS Racial discrimination may not always modify physiological vulnerability to disease. Social and economic contexts must be considered when addressing the impact of racism, with a focus on individuals and sub-populations experiencing co-occurring life challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Cave
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia.
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia.
| | - Matthew N Cooper
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia
| | - Stephen R Zubrick
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia
- Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Carrington C J Shepherd
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia
- Ngangk Yira Research Centre for Aboriginal Health & Social Equity, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
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Cobb RJ, Thorpe RJ, Norris KC. Everyday Discrimination and Kidney Function Among Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020; 75:517-521. [PMID: 31838487 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glz294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With advancing age, there is an increase in the time of and number of experiences with psychosocial stressors that may lead to the initiation and/or progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our study tests whether one type of experience, everyday discrimination, predicts kidney function among middle and older adults. METHODS The data were from 10 973 respondents (ages 52-100) in the 2006/2008 Health and Retirement Study, an ongoing biennial nationally representative survey of older adults in the United States. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) derives from the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Our indicator of everyday discrimination is drawn from self-reports from respondents. Ordinary Least Squared regression (OLS) models with robust standard errors are applied to test hypotheses regarding the link between everyday discrimination and kidney function. RESULTS Everyday discrimination was associated with poorer kidney function among respondents in our study. Respondents with higher everyday discrimination scores had lower eGFR after adjusting for demographic characteristics (B = -1.35, p < .05), and while attenuated, remained significant (B = -0.79, p < .05) after further adjustments for clinical, health behavior, and socioeconomic covariates. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests everyday discrimination is independently associated with lower eGFR. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors in predicting insufficiency in kidney function among middle-aged and older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryon J Cobb
- School of Social Work,The University of Texas at Arlington, TX
| | - Roland J Thorpe
- Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, Baltimore, MD
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Racism as a Stressor Impacting the Health of African Americans. Dela J Public Health 2020; 6:66-71. [PMID: 34467168 PMCID: PMC8352518 DOI: 10.32481/djph.2020.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Cuevas AG, Ong AD, Carvalho K, Ho T, Chan SW(C, Allen JD, Chen R, Rodgers J, Biba U, Williams DR. Discrimination and systemic inflammation: A critical review and synthesis. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:465-479. [PMID: 32688027 PMCID: PMC8362502 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to discrimination or unfair treatment has emerged as an important risk factor for illness and disease that disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. Discriminatory experiences may operate like other stressors in that they activate physiological responses that adversely affect the maintenance of homeostasis. Research suggests that inflammation plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of stress-related diseases. Recent findings on discrimination and inflammation are discussed. We highlight limitations in the current evidence and provide recommendations for future studies that seek to examine the association between discrimination and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo G. Cuevas
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States,Corresponding author at: Tufts University, Department of Community Health, 574 Boston Ave, Suite 208, Medford, MA 02155, United States. (A.G. Cuevas)
| | - Anthony D. Ong
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, United States,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, United States
| | - Keri Carvalho
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States
| | - Thao Ho
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States
| | | | | | - Ruijia Chen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States
| | - Justin Rodgers
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States
| | - Ursula Biba
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States
| | - David R. Williams
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States,Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University, United States
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Gu J, Ming X. Perceived Social Discrimination, Socioeconomic Status, and Alcohol Consumption among Chinese Adults: A Nationally Representative Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17176043. [PMID: 32825210 PMCID: PMC7503720 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Perceived social discrimination in China has significant effects on drinking behavior. This finding was reached through multivariate logistic regression analysis of a sample of 22,566 adults in the 2016 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). This was a cross-sectional study conducted with computer-assisted face-to-face interviews to assess alcohol drinking problems and associated factors among Chinese adults. The proportion of adults prone to alcoholism tends to be higher in eastern than central China, and higher in central than western China. Furthermore, gender discrimination and delays in government interactions as a result of unfair treatment have a positive and significant effect on individuals’ drinking. The alcohol consumption rate among Chinese men is about 13 times that of Chinese women. Additionally, older people have a stronger tendency to drink alcohol. In terms of education, those with lower education levels are more prone to alcoholism than those with higher education levels. Regarding marital status, those who are married are more prone to alcoholism than those who are not. Further, those who have been diagnosed with a chronic disease within the past six months are less prone to alcoholism than those without such diagnosis. People with an annual income between 50,000 and 150,000 yuan are more prone to alcoholism than those with an income under 50,000 yuan. Groups that have experienced unequal treatment in public services are also more prone to alcoholism than those who do not suffer such unequal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Gu
- Institute of Social Survey Study, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Xing Ming
- School of Sociology and Political Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China;
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