Racial/Ethnic Differences in Biological Aging and Their Life Course Socioeconomic Determinants: The 2016 Health and Retirement Study
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Objectives: This study examined differences in accelerated biological aging among non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States and assessed whether including life course socioeconomic conditions attenuated observed racial/ethnic differences. Methods: Data came from the Venous Blood Collection Subsample of the Health and Retirement Study. We used a comprehensive summary measure of biological age (BA-22). We determined whether key lifetime socioeconomic conditions contributed to racial/ethnic differences in biological aging. Results: Findings indicated that non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics have accelerated aging, and non-Hispanic Whites have decelerated aging. Racial/ethnic differences were strongly tied to educational attainment. We also observed a significant difference by birthplace for Hispanics. US-born Hispanics had accelerated biological aging, whereas foreign-born Hispanics did not. In age-stratified analyses, these racial/ethnic differences were found for adults aged 56–74, but not for adults aged 75+. Conclusions: These findings provide insight into biological differences underlying racial/ethnic disparities in health.
Source: Journal of Aging and Health
Institution: University of Southern California
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Biological Underpinnings of Socioeconomic Differentials in Health and Mortality, USC/UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health, University of Southern California Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD) Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (USC AD/ADRD RCMAR), Health and Retirement Study: Yrs 35-40, Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology
OpenAlex ID: W4292367827