Section outline

  • Lecture: Multi-level etiologies of health in diverse populations, Part 3: Biological determinants, mediators and mechanisms

    One of the most active areas of health disparities research is understanding how social experiences get “under the skin” to influence health. As discussed in previous classes, behavioral factors and clinical care are important mechanisms, but study after study has shown that behaviors and medical care cannot fully explain the magnitude of social inequalities in health. In this class we will review key hypothesized mechanisms via which adverse social experiences change human physiology and have enduring effects on long term health outcomes.  Leading hypotheses include the role of epigenetic changes; dysregulation of stress responses via hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis alterations; and physiologic triggers of behavioral patterns. We will discuss how these biological mechanisms directly relate to lifecourse models for the determinants of adult health. We will also discuss controversial perspectives on the role of genetic differences in creating social and racial inequalities in health.

    Faculty:  Kaja LeWinn

    Location:      Mission Hall 1406

    • Session Slides:

    • Lecture4BiologicalMechanismsv8 final File

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • HertzmannBoyceAnnualReviews File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • neighborhood allostasis File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • discrimination methylation File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

    • Berens Biology File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Weaver MaternalProgramming Epigenetic NatureNeuroscience File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Gruenewald Seeman AllostaticLoad File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Assignment:  

      Please post to the forum by 1pm on the day of class

      Questions Related to Week 4 Readings:

      1. Hertzmann and Boyce argue that “it is not genes or environment, nor is it genes and environment, but rather it is gene-by-environment interactions that influence developmental trajectories.”  To what extent do you think that GxE interactions can contribute to major disparities along racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, or geographic dimensions? Please consider this both in general and in respect to your particular area of interest. 

      2. Discuss implications of epigenetic mechanisms of disease for intergenerational effects on health disparities, as well as for interventions designed to address health disparities. 

      3. Discuss how the findings in the Robinette paper relate to socioecological model we are using in this course – e.g. briefly describe how the different levels displayed in this model are related to each other in this paper.