Socioeconomic Position, Stress, and Cortisol in Relation to Waist Circumference in African American and White Women

Objective—Abdominal fat deposition has been shown to be related to hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes. Studies have shown a correlation between cortisol (a stress hormone) and abdominal fat deposition. Low socioeconomic position (SEP) has also been shown to be related to abdominal fat deposition. It is hypothesized that chronic stress associated with low SEP leads to high cortisol levels which in turn lead to abdominal fat deposition. Previous research in this area has included mainly European subjects. The purpose of this study was to examine the evidence for the SEP-chronic stress-cortisol-abdominal fat hypothesis in a sample of African American and White American women. Design—Data from the Regional Assessment Health Surveillance Study (RAHSS), a survey and physical examination of a representative sample of African American and White adults residing in six counties in Georgia, were utilized. The study population included 111 African American and 119 White women. Abdominal fat deposition was measured by waist circumference (inches). Education and income were the measures of SEP. Other exposures examined included serum cortisol, self-reported daily stress level, cigarette smoking, marital status, and number of children. Associations were examined using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI). Results—Among White women, less-educated women had a waist circumference 2.22 inches larger (P<.05) than more highly educated women. Among African American women, separated or divorced women (+2.29 in, P<.05) and widowed women (+3.13 in, P<.01) had larger waist circumferences than married women. No other factors were significantly associated with waist circumference. Conclusions—The SEP-chronic stress abdominal fat accumulation hypothesis was only partially supported by the data. Different stressors and pathways may be important in producing abdominal fat accumulation in African American and White women

Plasmonics-enhanced metal–organic framework nanoporous films for highly sensitive near-infrared absorption

Combined plasmonic nanocrystals and metal–organic framework thin-films are fabricated for sensing gases in the near-infrared range. This nanocomposite thin-film shows a highly sensitive response in near-infrared absorption, which is attributed to preconcentration of gas molecules in metal–organic framework pores causing close proximity to the electromagnetic fields at the plasmonic nanocrystal surface

Life-course socioeconomic position, race, and long-term weight gain in the Alameda County Study.

The association of socioeconomic position (SEP) and race with long-term (34-year) adult weight gain was explored. Physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, depression, marital status, and number of children were explored as potential factors in the causal pathway between SEP/race and long-term weight gain. Methods: 5 waves (1965, 1974, 1983, 1994, 1999) of data from the Alameda County Study were used. Participants who were aged forty and under at baseline were included in the analyses. Socioeconomic position measures included a measure of childhood SEP, education, occupation, and income. Measures of cumulative socioeconomic position were also created and explored. African-Americans and whites were the racial groups investigated. Individual-growth mixed effect models were used to examine the relationships between the variables and baseline weight and weight gain. Results: Low childhood SEP was associated with long-term weight gain in woman aged 17--30 (0.13 kg/year, p < 0.0001). Education was associated with long-term weight gain in men aged 17--30 (0.20 kg/year, p < 0.001), and women (aged 17--30: 0.14kg/year, p = 0.03; aged 31--40: 0.14, p = 0.014). Occupation was not associated with weight gain. Income was associated with weight gain in men aged 31--40 (0.10 kg/year/log unit). Lifetime cumulative SEP was associated with weight gain in men (17--30: 0.19 kg/year, p = 0.05; 31--40: p = ; 0.14 kg/year, p = 0.027) and in woman aged 31--40 (0.19 kg/year, p = 0.004). Baseline weight associations were stronger in woman than men. Adjustment for risk factors attenuated the cumulative SEP weight gain association in men (17--30: -45.45%; 31--40: -29.40%) but not women. Black women gained weight (0.10 kg/year, p = 0.043) at a greater rate than white women. The race difference was greatly attenuated when adjustments were made for cumulative SEP and other risk factors (-60%). Conclusion: Socioeconomic position influenced weight gain in men and women, but the effects began earlier in life for women. Behavioral risk factors explained part of the association in men. Race was associated with weight gain in woman. SEP along with psychosocial and behavioral risk factors largely explained the race difference.Ph.D.Health and Environmental SciencesPublic healthUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/123785/2/3106012.pd

Geographic and racial variation in asthma prevalence and emergency department use among Medicaid-enrolled children in 14 southern states

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence-based prevention and practice guidelines, asthma prevalence, treatment, and outcomes vary widely at individual and community levels. Asthma disproportionate/ly affects low-income and minority children, who comprise a large segment of the Medicaid population. METHODS: 2007 Medicaid claims data from 14 southern states was mapped for 556 counties to describe the local area variation in 1-year asthma prevalence rates, emergency department (ED) visit rates, and racial disparity rate ratios. RESULTS: One-year period prevalence of asthma ranged from 2.8% in Florida to 6.4% in Alabama, with a median prevalence rate of 4.1%. At the county level, the prevalence was higher for Black children and ranged from 1.03% in Manatee County, FL, to 21.0% in Hockley County, TX. Black–White rate ratios of prevalence ranged from 0.49 in LeFlore County, MS, to 3.87 in Flagler County, FL. Adjusted asthma ED visit rates ranged from 2.2 per 1000 children in Maryland to 16.5 in Alabama, with a median Black–White ED-visit rate ratio of 2.4. Rates were higher for Black children, ranging from 0.80 per 1000 in Wicomico County, MD, to 70 per 1000 in DeSoto County, FL. Rate ratios of ED visits ranged from 0.25 in Vernon Parish, LA, to 25.28 in Nelson County, KY. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Low-income children with Medicaid coverage still experience substantial variation in asthma prevalence and outcomes from one community to another. The pattern of worse outcomes for Black children also varies widely across counties. Eliminating this variation could substantially improve overall outcomes and eliminate asthma disparities

Racial/Ethnic Disparities, Social Support, and Depression: Examining a Social Determinant of Mental Health

Abstract available at publisher's website

Race/Ethnicity, Life-Course Socioeconomic Position, and Body Weight Trajectories Over 34 years: The Alameda County Study

Objectives. We investigated whether race differences in weight gain over 34 years were because of socioeconomic position (SEP) and psychosocial and behavioral factors (physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, depression, marital status, number of children). We used a life-course approach to SEP with 4 measures of SEP (childhood SEP, education, occupation, income) and a cumulative measure of SEP. Methods. We used mixed models and data collected from the Alameda County Study to examine the association between race and weight change slopes and baseline weight in men (n=1186) and women (n=1375) aged 17 to 40 years at baseline (in 1965). Results. All subjects gained weight over time. African American women weighed 4.96 kg (P < .001) more at baseline and gained 0.10 kg/year (P = .043) more weight than White women. Black men weighed 2.41 kg (P= .006) more at baseline but did not gain more weight than White men. The association of race with weight gain in women was largely because of cumulative SEP score. Conclusions. Interventions to prevent overweight and obesity should begin early in life and target the socioeconomically disadvantaged