Mrug S, Barker-Kamps M, Orihuela CA, Patki A, Tiwari HK. Childhood Neighborhood Disadvantage, Parenting, and Adult Health.
Am J Prev Med 2022;
63:S28-S36. [PMID:
35725138 PMCID:
PMC9219037 DOI:
10.1016/j.amepre.2022.01.028]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Growing up in disadvantaged neighborhoods is associated with poor adult health indicators. Consistent and supportive parenting plays a key role in life-long health, but it is not known whether positive parenting can mitigate the relationship between neighborhood adversity and poor health. This study examines parenting as a moderator of the links between childhood neighborhood characteristics and adult health indicators.
METHODS
A sample of 305 individuals (61% female; 82% African American, 18% Caucasian) were assessed in childhood (T1; age 11 years; 2003‒2004) and adulthood (T2; age 27 years; 2018‒2021). At T1, neighborhood poverty was derived from census data; neighborhood disorder was reported by parents. Children reported on parental harsh discipline, inconsistent discipline, and parental nurturance. At T2, health outcomes included BMI, serum cortisol and C-reactive protein (CRP), and salivary DNA methylation index related to CRP. Regression models predicted T2 health outcomes from T1 neighborhood and parenting variables and their interactions, adjusting for clustering and confounders. Data were analyzed in 2021.
RESULTS
Neighborhood poverty was associated with lower cortisol, whereas neighborhood disorder was linked with CRP‒related DNA methylation. Multiple interactions between neighborhood and parenting variables emerged, indicating that adverse neighborhood conditions were only related to poor adult health when combined with inconsistent discipline and low parental nurturance. By contrast, warm and supportive parenting, consistent discipline, and to a lesser extent harsh discipline buffered children from poor health outcomes associated with neighborhood disadvantage.
CONCLUSIONS
Interventions enhancing consistent and nurturing parenting may help to reduce the long-term associations of neighborhood disadvantage with poor health.
Collapse