Socioeconomic Adversity, Social Resources, and Allostatic Load Among Hispanic/Latino Youth: The Study of Latino Youth

Linda C. Gallo, Scott C. Roesch, Julia I. Bravin, Kimberly L. Savin, Krista M. Perreira, Mercedes R. Carnethon, Alan M. Delamater, Christian R. Salazar, Maria Lopez-Gurrola, Carmen R. Isasi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: We examined associations among socioeconomic adversity, social resources, and allostatic load in Hispanic/Latino youth, who are at high risk for obesity and related cardiometabolic risks. Methods: Participants were 1343 Hispanic/Latino youth (51% male; ages 8-16 years) offspring of Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos participants. Between 2012 and 2014, youth underwent a fasting blood draw and anthropometric assessment, and youth and their enrolled caregivers provided social and demographic information. A composite indicator of allostatic load represented dysregulation across general metabolism, cardiovascular, glucose metabolism, lipid, and inflammation/hemostatic systems. Socioeconomic adversity was a composite of caregiver education, employment status, economic hardship, family income relative to poverty, family structure, and receipt of food assistance. Social resources were a composite of family functioning, parental closeness, peer support, and parenting style variables. Results: Multivariable regression models that adjusted for sociodemographic factors, design effects (strata and clustering), and sample weights revealed a significant, positive, association between socioeconomic adversity and allostatic load (β =.10, p =.035), and a significant, inverse association between socioeconomic adversity and social resources (β = -.10, p =.013). Social resources did not relate to allostatic load and did not moderate or help explain the association of adversity with allostatic load (all p values >.05). Conclusions: Statistically significant, but small associations of socioeconomic adversity with both allostatic load and social resources were identified. The small effects may partially reflect range restriction given overall high socioeconomic adversity and high social resources in the cohort.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)305-312
Number of pages8
JournalPsychosomatic Medicine
Volume81
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2019

Keywords

  • Hispanic
  • Latino
  • allostatic load
  • social support
  • socioeconomic status
  • youth

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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