Associations Between Maternal Experiences of Discrimination and Biomarkers of Toxic Stress in School-Aged Children.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine associations between maternal experiences of discrimination and child biomarkers of toxic stress in a multiethnic, urban sample of mothers and children (4-9 years).

Methods

Data were drawn from a cross-sectional study of maternal-child dyads (N = 54) living in low-income neighborhoods in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Mothers reported experiences of discrimination. Noninvasive biomarkers of toxic stress were collected to assess neuroendocrine (hair cortisol), immune (salivary cytokines, c-reactive protein), and cardiovascular (blood pressure) functioning in children.

Results

Maternal experiences of discrimination were associated with increased log-transformed salivary interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in children (β = 0.15, p = 0.02).

Conclusions

V

SUBMITTER: Condon EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6660374 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature