Methodologic Considerations for Epigenomic Investigation of Preterm Birth in African American Women

Epigenetic modifications are chemical changes that can modify gene expression without changing the sequence of the gene. These modifications are potentially identifiable and reversible, making the epigenome an important area of research for discovering biomarkers to identify those who may be at risk and providing therapeutic interventions to prevent adverse health outcomes. African Americans bear a disproportionate risk of adverse health outcomes (e.g., hypertension, cancer). Indeed, African American women experience preterm birth (PTB; <37 completed weeks gestation) at more than twice the rate of non-Hispanic White women. Research suggests that environmental influences may play a significant role in PTB outcomes for this population. However, the biological pathways by which these influences contribute to PTB are poorly understood. This paper describes research methods and ethical considerations for the collection and analysis of biological samples based on our study examining the epigenetic regulation of stress pathways in PTB in pregnant African American women.

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Neighborhoods, Racism, Stress, and Preterm Birth Among African American Women: A Review

Western Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/01939459211041165 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 019394592110411

Author(s):

Giurgescu C. ◽

Misra D.P. ◽

Slaughter-Acey J.C. ◽

Gillespie S.L. ◽

Nowak A.L. ◽

...

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

African American Women ◽

Social Determinants Of Health ◽

Racial Discrimination ◽

Social Determinants ◽

White Women ◽

Determinants Of Health ◽

American Women ◽

Vacant Housing

African American women are more likely to experience preterm birth (<37 completed weeks gestation) compared with White women. African American women are also more likely to live in neighborhoods characterized as disadvantaged (i.e., exhibiting higher rates of vacant housing, poorer property conditions, and more litter and crime) and to experience racial discrimination compared with White women. These chronic stressors have been related to preterm birth (PTB) among African American women. This review focuses on potential stress-related pathways by which neighborhood disadvantage and racial discrimination increase the risk for PTB among African American women. Specifically, we propose cortisol, systemic inflammation, proteome and lipidome profiles, and telomere shortening as potential mediators linking these social determinants of health with PTB among African American women. Examination of these factors and the signaling pathways they contribute to will increase our knowledge of the effects of social determinants of health on PTB for African American women.

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Genome Sequences of 15 Gardnerella vaginalis Strains Isolated from the Vaginas of Women with and without Bacterial Vaginosis: TABLE 1

Genome Announcements ◽

10.1128/genomea.00879-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Lloyd S. Robinson ◽

Justin Perry ◽

Sai Lek ◽

Aye Wollam ◽

Erica Sodergren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preterm Birth ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Bacterial Vaginosis ◽

Draft Genome ◽

Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽

Genome Sequences ◽

Predominant Species ◽

Adverse Health ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes

Gardnerella vaginalis is a predominant species in bacterial vaginosis, a dysbiosis of the vagina that is associated with adverse health outcomes, including preterm birth. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of 15 Gardnerella vaginalis strains (now available through BEI Resources) isolated from women with and without bacterial vaginosis.

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African American Women and Domestic Violence: Addressing their Voice of Silence

10.35455/brk12345678 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Bernice Kennedy ◽

Chalice Rhodes (Former Jenkins)

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Domestic Violence ◽

African American ◽

Black Women ◽

African American Women ◽

White Women ◽

The United States ◽

Slave Owner ◽

American Women ◽

Strong Black Women

Abstract Historically, during slavery, the international slave trade promoted normalization of violence against African American women. During slavery, African American women endured inhuman conditions because of the majority race views of them as being over-sexualized, physically strong, and immoral. This perception of the African American women as being highly sexual and more sexual than white women results in slave owner justifying their sexual violation and degrading of the African American women. The stereotypical representations of African American women as strong, controlling, dangerous, fearless, and invulnerable may interfere with the African American women receiving the needed services for domestic violence in the community. The Strong Black Women Archetype has been dated back to slavery describing their coping mechanism in dealing with oppression by developing a strong, less traditionally female role. The authors developed a model: The Multidimensional Perspectives of Factors Contributing to Domestic Violence of African American Women in the United States. This model depicts historically, the factors contributing to domestic violence of African American women in the United States. Also, this model addressed the African American women subscribing to the Strong Black Women Archetype to cope with domestic violence. Despite the increase in domestic violence in African American women, they focused more on the issue of racism instead of sexism in America. African American women have experienced the two obstacles of racism and sexism in America. However, African American women and men believe racism is more critical than sexism. Therefore, domestic violence in the African American population may remain silent because of cultural loyalty. However, the voice of silence of African American females is gradually changing with the upcoming generations.

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Meaning of Pregnancy Terms Among African-American Women

The Qualitative Report ◽

10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2543 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie Solomon ◽

Sandra Suther ◽

Ivette Lopez ◽

Alicestine Ashford ◽

Linda Amankwaa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

White Women ◽

Childbearing Age ◽

American Women ◽

Planning Policy ◽

Pregnancy Intendedness ◽

Women's Lives ◽

Recurrent Patterns ◽

Descriptive Method

The concept of pregnancy intendedness is complex and may not bear the same meaning to all women. Moreover, researcher definition and women’s meaning were thought to be different. Some researchers have indicated that it is unclear how well women understand and relate to questions used by the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) and how the classifications relate to women’s lives. The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of terms such as planned and/or intended pregnancy among African-American women of childbearing age using a qualitative exploratory descriptive method. Although African-American women want children, they are three times as likely to experience an unintended pregnancy as white women. Data extracted from transcripts were coded and analyzed for recurrent patterns and themes. For this study, the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) was employed to frame interview questions and to interpret data. Findings suggest participants and partners often did not have the same perceptions or meanings of pregnancy planning or intentions. These findings have implications for research and family planning policy.

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Struggling to survive: Sexual assault, poverty, and mental health outcomes of African American women.

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry ◽

10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01007.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

pp. 61-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Thema Bryant-Davis ◽

Sarah E. Ullman ◽

Yuying Tsong ◽

Shaquita Tillman ◽

Kimberly Smith

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

African American ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

African American Women ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

American Women

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African American Women, Racism and Triple Oppression

Interdisciplinary Journal of Management and Social Sciences ◽

10.3126/ijmss.v1i1.34615 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 113-117

Author(s):

Rajendra Prasad Chapagain

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Racial Discrimination ◽

Black Men ◽

Black Males ◽

White Women ◽

Black American ◽

American Women ◽

Black American Women ◽

Sexual Repression

African American women have been made multiple victims: racial discrimination by the white community and sexual repression by black males of their own community. They have been subjected to both kind of discrimination - racism and sexism. It is common experience of black American women. Black American women do have their own peculiar world and experiences unlike any white or black men and white women. They have to fight not only against white patriarchy and white women's racism but also against sexism of black men within their own race. To be black and female is to suffer from the triple oppression- sexism, racism and classicism.

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Determinants of Mammographic Breast Density by Race Among a Large Screening Population

JNCI Cancer Spectrum ◽

10.1093/jncics/pkaa010 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Justin Xavier Moore ◽

Yunan Han ◽

Catherine Appleton ◽

Graham Colditz ◽

Adetunji T Toriola

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Breast Density ◽

White Women ◽

Menopausal Status ◽

Dense Breast ◽

Mammographic Breast Density ◽

Age At First Birth ◽

American Women ◽

Hispanic White

Abstract BACKGROUND Due to mixed reports from smaller studies, we examined associations of race with mammographic breast density and evaluated racial differences in the determinants of breast density. METHODS Participants included 37,839 women (23,166 non-Hispanic White, and 14,673 African American women) receiving screening mammograms at the Joanne Knight Breast Health Center at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri from June 2010 to December 2015. Mammographic breast density was assessed using Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (5th edition). To determine the association of race and participant characteristics with mammographic breast density, we used multivariable polytomous logistic regression models (reference group: almost entirely fatty). RESULTS African American women had increased odds of extremely dense (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.13–1.52) and reduced odds of heterogeneously dense breasts (AOR= 0.91, 95% CI = 0.84 – 0.99) compared to non-Hispanic White women. Altogether, race, parity and age at first birth, age, current body mass index (BMI), BMI at age 18, menarche, family history of breast cancer, oral contraceptive use, alcohol, and menopausal status explained 33% of the variation in mammographic breast density. Among African American and non-Hispanic White women these factors explained nearly 28.6% and 33.6% of the variation in mammographic density, respectively. Current BMI provided the greatest explanation of breast density (26.2% overall, 22.2% in African American, and 26.2% in non-Hispanic White women). CONCLUSIONS The determinants of mammographic breast density were generally similar between African-American women and non-Hispanic white women. After adjustments for confounders, African Americans had higher likelihood of extremely dense breast but lower likelihood of heterogeneously dense breast. The greatest explanation of breast density was provided by BMI, regardless of race.

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