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Socioeconomic status and cell aging in children

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  • Needham, Belinda L.
  • Fernandez, Jose R.
  • Lin, Jue
  • Epel, Elissa S.
  • Blackburn, Elizabeth H.

Abstract

Theory suggests that chronic stress associated with disadvantaged social status may lead to acceleration in the rate of decline in physiological functioning. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a marker of cell aging, in children. We examined SES and LTL in 70 white and black US children aged 7–13 who participated in the community-based AMERICO (Admixture Mapping for Ethnic and Racial Insulin Complex Outcomes) study. LTL was assessed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Parental education was positively associated with child LTL, net of controls for sex, age, race/ethnicity, and family income. Compared to children with at least one college-educated parent, children whose parents never attended college had telomeres shorter by 1,178 base pairs, which is roughly equivalent to 6 years of additional aging. Socioeconomic disparities in cell aging are evident in early life, long before the onset of age-related diseases.

Suggested Citation

  • Needham, Belinda L. & Fernandez, Jose R. & Lin, Jue & Epel, Elissa S. & Blackburn, Elizabeth H., 2012. "Socioeconomic status and cell aging in children," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(12), pages 1948-1951.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:74:y:2012:i:12:p:1948-1951
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.02.019
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Geronimus, A.T. & Hicken, M. & Keene, D. & Bound, J., 2006. ""Weathering" and age patterns of allostatic load scores among blacks and whites in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(5), pages 826-833.
    2. Hertzman, C. & Wiens, M., 1996. "Child development and long-term outcomes: A population health perspective and summary of successful interventions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1083-1095, October.
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    1. Hill, Terrence D. & Ellison, Christopher G. & Burdette, Amy M. & Taylor, John & Friedman, Katherine L., 2016. "Dimensions of religious involvement and leukocyte telomere length," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 168-175.
    2. Needham, Belinda L. & Adler, Nancy & Gregorich, Steven & Rehkopf, David & Lin, Jue & Blackburn, Elizabeth H. & Epel, Elissa S., 2013. "Socioeconomic status, health behavior, and leukocyte telomere length in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2002," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 1-8.
    3. Needham, Belinda L. & Straight, Bilinda & Hilton, Charles E. & Olungah, Charles Owuor & Lin, Jue, 2021. "Family socioeconomic status and child telomere length among the Samburu of Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    4. Kawachi, Ichiro & Subramanian, S.V., 2018. "Social epidemiology for the 21st century," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 240-245.
    5. Theall, Katherine P. & Brett, Zoë H. & Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A. & Dunn, Erin C. & Drury, Stacy S., 2013. "Neighborhood disorder and telomeres: Connecting children's exposure to community level stress and cellular response," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 50-58.

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