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Peer Reviewed

Epigenetic embodiment in the context of shifting sociopolitical environments for Latinx immigrant families: implications for mental and cardiometabolic health.

Clausing, Elizabeth S.
Advisor(s): Non, Amy L.

UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2021)

Psychosocial stressors can become embodied to alter biology throughout the life course in ways that may have lasting health consequences. Immigrants are particularly vulnerable to high burdens of stress, which have heightened in the current sociopolitical climate. This study is an investigation of how immigration-related stress may impact the mental health, cardiometabolic health, and epigenetic markers of Latinx immigrant mothers and children in Nashville, TN, across a timeframe of increasing anti-immigrant political policies. The overall aim was to investigate how stress experiences of both mothers and children may become biologically embedded through epigenetic pathways to increase risk of cardiometabolic disease later in life. We compared stress and resilience factors reported by Latina immigrant mothers and their children (aged 5-13) from two time points spanning the 2016 presidential election with cardiometabolic health markers (BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure), mental health outcomes (e.g., anxiety and depressive symptoms), DNA methylation of stress-related genes, and epigenome-wide/epigenetic aging. Three manuscripts comprise the bulk of this dissertation, and all use data from a study entitled, “Children of Immigrants Collaborating to Overcome Stress” (CHICOS). CHICOS is a longitudinal study of primarily low-income Mexican immigrant families living in Nashville, TN between 2015-2018. The first project examined responses to open-ended questions along with quantitative scales of mental health, psychosocial stressors, and resilience factors. The second project investigated associations between psychosocial stress and resilience with cardiometabolic health biomarkers and DNA methylation of two select stress-related genes. The final project conducted a comprehensive epigenomic assessment, with an analysis of epigenetic aging and an epigenome-wide association study. Taken together, our results indicate that psychosocial stressors have been consistently high among Latinx families over time, which has had profound impacts on cardiometabolic and mental health across two generations. While epigenetic effects are modest, they may be part of important pathways of embodiment. More research is needed to determine the role of these epigenetic differences for documenting embodiment of stress across generations.

Cover page: Epigenetic embodiment in the context of shifting sociopolitical environments for Latinx immigrant families: implications for mental and cardiometabolic health.

Article
Peer Reviewed

Epigenetics as a Mechanism of Developmental Embodiment of Stress, Resilience, and Cardiometabolic Risk Across Generations of Latinx Immigrant Families

UC San Diego Previously Published Works (2021)

Psychosocial stressors can become embodied to alter biology throughout the life course in ways that may have lasting health consequences. Immigrants are particularly vulnerable to high burdens of stress, which have heightened in the current sociopolitical climate. This study is an investigation of how immigration-related stress (IRS) may impact the cardiometabolic risk and epigenetic markers of Latinx immigrant mothers and children in Nashville, TN. We compared stress and resilience factors reported by Latina immigrant mothers and their children (aged 5-13) from two time points spanning the 2016 U.S. presidential election (June 2015-June 2016 baseline, n = 81; March-September 2018 follow-up, n = 39) with cardiometabolic risk markers (BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure). We also analyzed these factors in relation to DNA methylation in saliva of stress-related candidate genes (SLC6A4 and FKBP5), generated via bisulfite pyrosequencing (complete case n's range from 67-72 baseline and 29-31 follow-up) (n's range from 80 baseline to 36 follow-up). We found various associations with cardiometabolic risk, such as higher social support and greater acculturation were associated with lower BMI in mothers; discrimination and school stress associated with greater waist circumferences in children. Very few exposures associated with FKBP5, but various stressors associated with methylation at many sites in SLC6A4, including immigrant-related stress in both mothers and children, and fear of parent deportation in children. Additionally, in the mothers, total maternal stress, health stress, and subjective social status associated with methylation at multiple sites of SLC6A4. Acculturation associated with methylation in mothers in both genes, though directions of effect varied over time. We also find DNA methylation at SLC6A4 associates with measures of adiposity and blood pressure, suggesting that methylation may be on the pathway linking stress with cardiometabolic risk. More research is needed to determine the role of these epigenetic differences in contributing to embodiment of stress across generations.

Cover page: Epigenetics as a Mechanism of Developmental Embodiment of Stress, Resilience, and Cardiometabolic Risk Across Generations of Latinx Immigrant Families

Article
Peer Reviewed

Optimism and Social Support Predict Healthier Adult Behaviors Despite Socially Disadvantaged Childhoods

UC San Diego Previously Published Works (2020)

Background

Studies have shown adverse effects of a disadvantaged childhood on adult health-promoting behaviors and related outcomes. Optimism and social support have been linked to greater likelihood of engaging in healthy behavior, but it is unclear whether these positive psychosocial factors may buffer harmful effects of early adversity. This study aims to determine if optimism and social support in adulthood can modify effects of childhood disadvantage on health behavior-related outcomes.

Methods

Longitudinal data were analyzed from a subset of participants in a US birth cohort established in 1959-1966 (ns of 681-840, per outcome). An index of childhood social disadvantage was derived from adverse socioeconomic and family stability factors reported by mothers at child's birth and age 7 years. Health behavior-related outcomes were self-reported when participants were of mean age 47 years. Multivariable adjusted robust Poisson regressions were performed.

Results

Regardless of level of childhood social disadvantage, we found higher levels of optimism and social support were both associated with higher probabilities of being a non-smoker (relative risk [RR]_optimism = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-1.26; RR_{social support} = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.11-1.39), having a healthy diet (RR_optimism = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.10-1.43; RR_{social support} = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.04-1.56), and a healthy body mass index (RR_optimism = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.00-1.40; RR_{social support} = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.00-1.66). Interactions link higher optimism or social support with lower risk of smoking among those with moderate childhood disadvantage.

Conclusions

Overall, these findings are consistent with the possibility that positive psychosocial resources contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle in mid-adulthood and may buffer effects of childhood social disadvantage.