@article {10134, title = {Biological risk profiles among Latino subgroups in the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {3}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 May}, pages = {igz017}, abstract = {

Background and Objectives: Latinos residing in the United States exhibit an increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases compared to non-Latino whites. This elevated risk contributes to a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among Latino adults. Examining biological risk profiles of older Latinos as a "pan-ethnic group" and by Latino subpopulations may help to explain the increased burden of disease in later life among this population. The objective of this study is to document biological risk profiles among a nationally representative sample of older U.S. Latinos by nativity and country of origin.

Research Design and Methods: We use the 2006-2012 Health and Retirement Study to compare cardiovascular, metabolic, inflammatory and cumulative biological risk among U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, U.S.-born Puerto Ricans, island-born Puerto Ricans, U.S.-born "other" Latinos, foreign-born "other" Latinos, and non-Latino whites.

Results: Older Latinos exhibit heterogeneous biological risk profiles. U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, U.S.-born "other" Latinos, and foreign-born "other" Latinos exhibited a higher rate of cardiovascular risk relative to non-Latino whites. In addition, U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, island-born Puerto Ricans, and foreign-born "other" Latinos had a higher rate of metabolic risk than non-Latino whites. Island-born Puerto Ricans were the only group to exhibit higher inflammation than non-Latino whites. The observed differences were largely attenuated by socioeconomic status, indicating that high levels of risk among older Latino subpopulations compared to non-Latino whites are associated with lower socioeconomic status.

Discussion and Implications: Older U.S. Latinos are a demographically diverse population with unique sociocultural characteristics which may contribute to differences in biological risk across the life course that influence disease progression. Examining Latinos by nativity and country of origin may help identify risks specific to individual subpopulations that can lead to culturally appropriate interventions which help prevent and reduce the burden of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

}, keywords = {Biomarkers, Latino population, Racial/ethnic differences}, issn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igz017}, author = {Garc{\'\i}a, Catherine and Jennifer A Ailshire} } @mastersthesis {8832, title = {The effects of microaggressions on blood pressure in the Latino population}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2017}, pages = {108}, school = {Alliant International University}, type = {Dissertation}, address = {Sacremento, CA}, abstract = {Racial microaggressions are subtle instances of racism that chronically remind the Latino population of their foreigner status (Derald Wing Sue et al., 2007). Although microaggressions have been found to cause an increase in stress in the Latino population, and chronic stress is one possible precursor to elevated blood pressure, there is a lack of research focusing on how microaggressions and blood pressure relate to each other in the Latino population. The present study examined the relationship between microaggressions, stress and blood pressure in the Latino population using a correlational research design. Eighty-six Latino immigrant participants responded to the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Racial Microaggression Scale (RMAS), and had their blood pressure taken. The results suggest that stress increases as microaggressions increase, and blood pressure increases as stress increases. Two of the microaggression scales, Criminality Distress Scale and Foreigner/Not Belonging Distress Scale, were correlated with diastolic blood pressure. This is an important finding which suggests that Latinos who experience distress of microaggressions which make them feel like a foreigner based on their visible ethnic/minority features and those who experience the distress caused by the fear of being perceived to be a criminal tend to have negative effects on their blood pressure. Based on the frequency of the microaggressions that Latinos experience, this could be very detrimental to their health. Additionally, the finding that microaggressions elevated diastolic blood pressure brings in to question if the effects of microaggressions, due to their chronicity, can be more harmful to cardiovascular health than once believed.}, keywords = {Blood pressure, Latino population, Microaggressions, Women and Minorities}, isbn = {9781339870571}, url = {http://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1814766088?accountid=14667}, author = {Estrada, Samia} }