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.
Answer:
In general, I think that GxE interactions can contribute significantly to major disparities along racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic dimensions. I am not only convinced by the Hetzmann and Boyce paper, but also by the evidence from the lecture on how care at birth can affect an adult later on; the evidence on how identical twins can have different health outcomes (again, from lecture); and, from the study on PTSD in Combat-Exposed Soldiers (lecture).
In terms of my particular area of interest (NCAA Division I student-athlete access to health and well-being resources), I could see how a GxE interaction could worsen (or improve) an athlete’s experience while on their team; for example, if one athlete came in with a heavy allostatic load but a low level of allostasis, and another athlete came in with a light allostatic load and a high level of allostasis, I believe that this would not only affect their experience, but probably also the degree to which they accessed health resources (I imagine that an athlete with a heavier allostatic load might be more accustomed to seeking help, and therefore would do it more frequently/easily than the other athlete).
2. Discuss implications of epigenetic mechanisms of disease for intergenerational effects on health disparities, as well as for interventions designed to address health disparities.
Answer:
Epigenetic mechanisms suggest that health disparities can CHANGE intergenerationally, even if the relatives have similar or identical genetic code, provided that you accept that gene expression is separate from the genetic code. This can happen when an individual’s environment changes, or when they experience a traumatic event (or don’t experience a traumatic event, especially if an older relative DID experience a traumatic event), or when they eat differently than their predecessors, etc.
The existence of epigenetic mechanisms suggests that interventions designed to address health disparities need to take into account the things that affect gene expression, like level of care at birth, etc. in order to make intergenerational changes (if that’s what they’re interested in).
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.
Answer:
The socioecological model we’re using in class has 5 levels: Economic and Social Opportunities & Resources > Living and Working Conditions in Homes and Communities > Behaviors / Medical Care > Biology and interactions between biology and experiences > Health.
In this paper, Robinette et al. examine the relationship between neighbor characteristics and the psychological well-being of its inhabitants. This means that they put “Living and Working Conditions in Homes and Communities / Economic and Social Opportunities and Resources” together at the “top” of their model (aka in the outermost position). Then, they examine the effect of this combination on “biology and interactions between biology and experiences.” Once they demonstrated that link, they actually next put “health” and “Behaviors / Medical care” “outside” of “Living and Working Conditions in Homes and Communities / Economic and Social Opportunities and Resources,” to test whether that’s a better explanation of what’s between the now 2 and 3rd levels of the model. They finish with a model that looks like this:
Behaviors / Medical Care & Health > Economic and Social Opportunities & Resources & Living and Working Conditions in Homes and Communities > Biology and interactions between biology and experiences