Cumulative Lifespan Stress, Inflammation, and Racial Disparities in Mortality Between Black and White Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

In the US, Black individuals experience higher mortality risk than White individuals. Greater stress exposure and its biological sequelae are theorized to drive this heightened risk.

Objective

To evaluate whether greater cumulative lifespan stress exposure and elevated inflammation are associated with increased mortality risk among Black compared with White US individuals.

Design, setting, and participants

This longitudinal cohort study (St Louis Personality and Aging Network) recruited participants from 2007 to 2011 from the St Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area. Participants were required to have a mailing address to permit longitudinal follow-up and sixth grade reading level to facilitate understanding of the consent form; active psychosis was excludsion

SUBMITTER: Spears ID 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12836128 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature