scholarly journals Racial Variation in the Association between Childhood Depression and Frontal Pole Volume among American Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. p121
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is associated with an altered structure and function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). There is more to find out about how this association differs among diverse racial groups. Aim: This study was performed to investigate racial differences in the association between MDD and frontal pole volume in 9/10-year-old children in the U.S. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study used the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Then an analytical sample included 10185 American children between the ages of 9 and 10. The independent variable was current MDD, measured using K-SADS. The primary outcome was frontal pole volume, measured using the structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI). Race was the moderator. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis. Results: In the overall sample, MDD was associated with a smaller frontal pole volume among children. Race showed a statistically significant interaction with MDD on children’s frontal pole volume, indicating stronger effects on White children compared to Black children. Conclusion: The inverse association between MDD and frontal pole volume is steeper in Black than White American children. White American children with and without MDD show more similar frontal pole volume, while Black children with and without MDD differ more when it comes to the frontal pole volume. It is unknown whether or not the stronger association between frontal pole volume and MDD in Black children is due to a poor access to treatment or to a higher chronicity of MDD in Black communities.

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. p112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari

Background: It is important to study the correlates of reward sensitivity since it predicts high-risk behaviors. While ageing reduces children’s reward sensitivity and its associated risk taking, there is more to find out about racial differences in regard to the effect of age on reward sensitivity. Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) suggest that resources and assets show weaker effects on Black children than White children. Aim: We compared White children to Black children as for the effects of age on reward sensitivity. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 10533 American children who participated in the baseline of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was age, while the dependent variable was reward sensitivity as captured by the behavioral approach/behavioral avoidance system (BAS-BIS). Gender, parental education, marital status, parental education, and household income were the covariates. Results: Higher age was associated with less reward sensitivity. A significant interaction was found between race and age when it comes to children’s reward sensitivity. It suggested that age is associated with a smaller gain in terms of reduced reward sensitivity in Black children than White children. Conclusion: Age is more likely to reduce reward sensitivity in White children than Black children. This finding is in line with MDRs, and may be due to social racism, segregation, stratification, and discrimination.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. e00511-e00511
Author(s):  
Shondra Loggins Clay ◽  
Markisha J. Woodson ◽  
Renique Kersh

Background: Numerous studies have been conducted to seek a better understanding of disparities in adverse pregnancy outcomes. The present study aimed to explore racial differences in influential socio-demographic, economic, and environmental factors in women who have had a low birth weight (LBW) infant (outcome variable). Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: This study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: The obtained results pointed to statistical racial differences between Non-Hispanic (NH) Black and NH White women in the socio-demographic variable of marital status (P<0.001). Regarding the assessed economic stability variables, employment status (P=0.032), poverty level (P<0.001), earnings (P=0.038), and federal government assistance paying for rent (P=0.007) were statistically significant across the two racial groups. The environmental factors that were statistically significant across racial groups were living in public housing projects (P=0.018), car ownership (P<0.001), and neighborhood safety (P=0.010). The results of the multivariate models revealed that NH Black race and government assistance to pay rent were associated with an increased likelihood of LBW, while being married, having health care coverage, and living in public housing were associated with a decreased likelihood. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, there were statistically significant racial differences in sociodemographic, economic, and environmental/physical characteristics associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. p34
Author(s):  
Mona Darvishi ◽  
Mohammed Saqib ◽  
Shervin Assari

Introduction: Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators, such as parental education and household income, are associated with the thickness of various cortical areas. However, less is known about the parahippocampal region. Additionally, more research is required regarding how the correlation between SES indicators and cortical thickness differs among diverse racial groups. Purpose: This study uses a national sample of pre-adolescents ages 9 to 10 years old in the US and was performed with two aims in mind. First, to investigate the correlations between two SES indicators, namely parental education and household income, and parahippocampal cortical thickness. Second, to explore racial differences in these associations. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to analyze the Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI) data of 9,849 US pre-adolescents between the ages of 9 and 10 years old. The main outcomes were parahippocampal cortical thickness separately calculated for the right and the left hemispheres using sMRI. The independent variables were parental education and household income, which were both treated as nominal variables. Age, sex, ethnicity, and family structure were the covariates, and race was the moderator. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis with and without interaction terms. Results: High income positively associated with right and left parahippocampal cortical thickness in the fully adjusted models. Race showed a statistically significant interaction with parental education on children’s parahippocampal cortical thickness, suggesting that the correlations between parental education with the right and left parahippocampal cortical thickness were significantly larger for White than Black and other/mixed race pre-adolescents. No interaction was found for household income and race. Conclusions: The association between parental education and pre-adolescents parahippocampal cortical thickness may be weaker in Black than in White American children. Consistent with the findings of Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs), parental education shows weaker links for some brain indicators, such as parahippocampal cortical thickness, in Black and other racial and minority children when compared to White children.


1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-49
Author(s):  
Beatriz Bertolaccini Martínez ◽  
Fernanda Marcelino Da Silva ◽  
Vinícius Tavares Veiga ◽  
Rodrigo Pereira Custódio ◽  
José Vítor Da Silva

Introdução: A pobreza influencia na evolução dos pacientes com doenças crônicas, porque contribui para o seu agravamento e dificulta o acesso à assistência médica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os aspectos relacionados à desigualdade social de pacientes em hemodiálise. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 123 pacientes em hemodiálise no Hospital Samuel Libânio – Pouso Alegre, MG, divididos, de acordo com a classe econômica, em 3 grupos: AB (n=23), C (n=60) e DE (n=40),. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos e econômicos, antecedentes clínicos e informações sobre o acesso a serviços de saúde. Para a análise dos resultados, foi utilizada estatística analítica e descritiva. Adotou-se p £ 0,05. Resultados: O grupo AB apresentou um menor número de pacientes jovens (4,3% em AB vs 40% em C e 25% em DE, p < 0,05), um maior número de indivíduos com mais anos de escolaridade (65,3% em AB vs 18,3% em C e 2,5% em DE; p < 0,05), predomínio de pacientes com menos de um ano em tratamento de hemodiálise (65,2% em AB vs 10% em C e 5% em DE, p < 0,05), menor número de usuários do SUS (40% em C e 25% em DE vs 4,3% em AB; p < 0,05) e maior acesso ao tratamento com nefrologista (73,9% em AB vs 46,7% em C e 52,5 em DE; p < 0,05). Conclusão: Classes economicamente desfavorecidas agregam indivíduos mais jovens, com menor escolaridade, usuários do SUS, com maior tempo em hemodiálise e pior acesso ao tratamento com nefrologista.Introduction: The poverty influence on the evolution of patients with chronic diseases because it contributes to your aggravation and hinders access to health care. Our goal was to evaluate the aspects related to social inequality on hemodialysis patients. Methods: cross-sectional study with 123 patients on hemodialysis in Samuel Libânio Hospital – Pouso Alegre, MG, divided according to the economic class, into 3 groups: AB (n = 23), C (n = 60) and DE (n = 40). Were collected socio-demographic and economic data, clinical background and information about access to health services. For analysis of the results has been used statistical analytical and descriptive. We take p £ 0,05.  Results: The AB group has fewer young patients (4,3% in AB vs 40% in C and 25% in DE, p< 0,05), a greater number of individuals with more years of schooling (65,3% in AB vs 18,3% in C and 2,5% in DE; p< 0,05), predominance of patients with less than a year on haemodialysis treatment (65,2% in AB vs 10% in C and 5% in DE, p< 0,05), smaller number of users of SUS (40% in C and 25% in DE vs 4,3% in AB; p< 0,05), greater access to treatment with nephrologist (73,9% in AB vs 46,7% in C and 52,5% in DE; p< 0,05). Conclusion: Economically disadvantaged classes bring younger patients, with less schooling, users of SUS, patients with greater time on hemodialysis and worse access to treatment with nephrologist. 


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 995
Author(s):  
Israa M. Shatwan ◽  
Eiman A. Alhinai ◽  
Balqees Alawadhi ◽  
Shelini Surendran ◽  
Najlaa M. Aljefree ◽  
...  

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is considered as a good example of a healthy dietary pattern that has protective effects on obesity. The aim of the present study was to assess the adherence of adults from three Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait) to the MedDiet and its association with obesity risk. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 961 men and women (75.7%) aged 20–55 years old. Waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) were measured waist/hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. A validated 14-item Questionnaire was used to measure adherence to MedDiet. The mean of the adherence to MedDiet score was 5.9 ± 2.03 for the total sample. An inverse association was observed between the adherence to MedDiet and BMI after adjusting for potential confounders (p = 0.0003 in total participants, and p = 0.001 in women only). A protective effect was seen with a higher adherence to the MedDiet on HC, suggesting that a greater adherence to the MedDiet was associated with a decreased HC (p = 0.04 in total participants, and p = 0.01 in women only). In conclusion, low adherence to the MedDiet among participants from three gulf countries was associated with increased obesity indicators, BMI, and HC.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 616
Author(s):  
Avril Beirne ◽  
Kevin McCarroll ◽  
James Bernard Walsh ◽  
Miriam Casey ◽  
Eamon Laird ◽  
...  

The health effects of vitamin D are well documented, with increasing evidence of its roles beyond bone. There is, however, little evidence of the effects of vitamin D on hospitalisation among older adults. This study aimed to prospectively determine the relationship of vitamin D status in older adults with hospital admission and emergency department (ED) attendance. Trinity University of Ulster Department of Agriculture (TUDA) is a large cross-sectional study of older adults with a community population from three disease-defined cohorts (cognitive dysfunction, hypertension, and osteoporosis). Participants included in this analysis were recruited between 2008 and 2012. ED and hospital admission data were gathered from the date of TUDA participation until June 2013, with a mean follow up of 3.6 years. Of the 3093 participants, 1577 (50.9%) attended the ED during the period of follow-up. Attendees had lower mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations than non-attendees (59.1 vs. 70.6 nmol/L). Fully adjusted models showed an inverse association between vitamin D and ED attendance (Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.996; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.995–0.998; p < 0.001). A total of 1269 participants (41%) were admitted to hospital during the follow-up. Those admitted had lower mean vitamin D concentrations (58.4 vs. 69.3 nmol/L, p < 0.001). In fully adjusted models, higher vitamin D was inversely associated with hospital admission (HR 0.996; 95% CI 0.994–0.998; p < 0.001) and length of stay (LOS) (β = −0.95, p = 0.006). This study showed independent prospective associations between vitamin D deficiency and increased hospitalisation by older adults. The need for further evaluation of current recommendations in relation to vitamin D supplementation, with consideration beyond bone health, is warranted and should focus on randomised controlled trials.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1639
Author(s):  
Zhongyao Li ◽  
Dongqing Wang ◽  
Edward A. Ruiz-Narváez ◽  
Karen E. Peterson ◽  
Hannia Campos ◽  
...  

Only a few studies primarily examined the associations between starchy vegetables (other than potatoes) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to evaluate the association between starchy vegetables consumption and MetS in a population-based sample of Costa Rican adults. We hypothesized that a higher overall intake of starchy vegetables would not be associated with higher MetS prevalence. In this cross-sectional study, log-binomial regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) of MetS across quintiles of total, unhealthy, healthy starchy vegetables, and individual starchy vegetables (potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, etc.), among 1881 Costa Rican adults. Least square means and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from linear regression models were estimated for each MetS component by categories of starchy vegetable variables. Higher intakes of starchy vegetables were associated with a higher prevalence of MetS in crude models, but no significant trends were observed after adjusting for confounders. A significant inverse association was observed between total starchy and healthy starchy vegetables consumption and fasting blood glucose. In this population, starchy vegetables might be part of a healthy dietary pattern.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e041453
Author(s):  
Xin Xu ◽  
Kimberly Ann Chew ◽  
Xiaolin Xu ◽  
Zhihua Wu ◽  
Xiaohua Xiao ◽  
...  

ObjectivesExamine compliance with personal protective measures in communities for the prevention and control of local transmission of the COVID-19, and explore indicators for such behavioural compliance.DesignCross-sectional design with a self-selecting sample. Data collected in February 2020.SettingCommunity dwellers in China.Participants2956 participants aged 16 and above completed the study and were included in the analysis.Outcome measuresNationwide COVID-19 survey. Demographics and self-reported compliance with four personal protective measures—home quarantine, mask-wearing, temperature-taking and hand-sanitising were collected. Outbreak severity and timeliness of personal protection order were obtained from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between demographic and social indicators and behavioural compliance.ResultsCompliance with home quarantine was only associated with gender (men, OR=0.61 (0.51–0.73), inverse association) but no other indicators. In contrast, men had higher compliance with mask-wearing (OR=1.79 (1.49–2.16)) and temperature-taking (OR=1.27 (1.05–1.53)). Compared with younger adults (≤20 years), the middle-age groups (31–40 and 41–50 years of age) were more compliant with all protective behaviours, except for home quarantine (OR=0.71 (0.54–0.93) and 0.67 (0.46–0.97), respectively).ConclusionMale gender was associated with lower compliance with home quarantine yet higher compliance with mask-wearing and temperature-taking. The middle-age participants (31–50 years) had lower compliance with home quarantine but higher with other measures. These findings may be supported by the economic considerations and the long-inherited Confucian values among Chinese. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, public health authorities should tailor policy implementation to disparities in psychosocial indicators.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 2031-2040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariko Nakamoto ◽  
Hirokazu Uemura ◽  
Tohru Sakai ◽  
Sakurako Katsuura-Kamano ◽  
Miwa Yamaguchi ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of the present study was to examine the association between soya food consumption and insulin resistance using baseline data of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study in Tokushima, Japan.DesignThis cross-sectional study included 1274 subjects, aged 34–70 years at baseline, living in Tokushima Prefecture between 2008 and 2013. Fasting blood samples were collected and information on lifestyle characteristics including soya food intake and medical history were obtained using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was measured and those with HOMA-IR≥2·5 were defined as having insulin resistance. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyse the association between soya product intake and the prevalence of insulin resistance.SettingRural communities located in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, between 2008 and 2013.SubjectsA total of 1148 adults (565 men and 583 women), aged 34–70 years.ResultsThe frequency of intake of miso soup, total non-fried soya products and total soya products showed significant inverse dose–response relationships with insulin resistance, after adjustments for potential confounders. When soya product intake was calculated as soya protein and isoflavone, the odds ratios of insulin resistance decreased significantly as the estimated intake of soya protein increased. Furthermore, significant inverse dose–response relationships were observed for total non-fried soya products and total soya products, after adjustment for total vegetable or total fibre consumption.ConclusionsThe present results indicate that the intake of soya products and non-fried soya products is associated with reduced insulin resistance in the Japanese population.


1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Wells ◽  
Diane M. Morrison ◽  
Mary R. Gillmore ◽  
Richard F. Catalano ◽  
Bonita Iritani ◽  
...  

This article examines racial differences in self-reported delinquency, school trouble, antisocial attitudes, and toughness and in teacher-rated aggressive and inattentive behaviors among fifth grade black, white, and Asian American subjects. Also examined are the relationships of these variables to substance initiation within each racial group. Controlling for socio-economic status, racial groups differed from one another in self-reported delinquency, school trouble and toughness, and in teacher-rated aggressiveness and inattention. Antisocial behavior and attitudes were stronger predictors of substance initiation for Asian American than for black and white children. For white children both self-reported and teacher-rated behavior were significantly related to substance initiation. For black children, only self-reported antisocial behavior, and for Asian American children only self-reported delinquent behavior and attitudes predicted substance initiation. Implications for prevention and research are discussed.


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