Journal article
Re(Setting) Epigenetic Clocks: An Important Avenue Whereby Social Conditions Become Biologically Embedded across the Life Course
Journal of health and social behavior, Vol.62(3), pp.436-453
09/01/2021
DOI: 10.1177/00221465211009309
PMID: 34528488
Abstract
Research on biological embedding of the social environment has been expedited by increased availability of biomarkers. Recently, this arsenal of measures has been expanded to include epigenetic clocks that indicate in years the extent to which an individual is older or younger than their chronological age. These measures of biological aging, especially GrimAge, are robust predictors of both illness and time to death. Importantly for sociologists, several studies have linked social conditions to these indices of aging. The present study extends this research using longitudinal data from a sample of 223 black women participating in the Family and Community Health Study. We find that changes in income and living arrangements over an 11-year period predict changes in speed of biological aging. These results provide further support for the idea that epigenetic aging is a mechanism whereby social conditions become biologically embedded. The utility of epigenetic clocks for sociological studies of health are discussed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Re(Setting) Epigenetic Clocks: An Important Avenue Whereby Social Conditions Become Biologically Embedded across the Life Course
- Creators
- Ronald L. Simons - University of GeorgiaMan-Kit Lei - University of GeorgiaEric Klopach - University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA;;Mark Berg - University of IowaYue Zhang - University of GeorgiaSteven S. R. Beach - University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA;;
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of health and social behavior, Vol.62(3), pp.436-453
- DOI
- 10.1177/00221465211009309
- PMID
- 34528488
- NLM abbreviation
- J Health Soc Behav
- ISSN
- 0022-1465
- eISSN
- 2150-6000
- Publisher
- Sage
- Number of pages
- 18
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000026, name: National Institute on Drug Abuse, award: R21 DA034457; DOI: 10.13039/100000050, name: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, award: R01 HL118045; DOI: 10.13039/100000049, name: National Institute on Aging, award: R01 AG055393
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/01/2021
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984282618802771
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