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Race/Ethnic and Educational Disparities in the Association Between Pathogen Burden and a Laboratory-Based Cumulative
Grace A Noppert1,2,3, A E Aiello4,5, A M O'Rand6
1Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, 123 West Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA. gnop@email.unc.edu.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
|October 24, 2019
Summary
Social disadvantage is linked to higher pathogen burden, which is associated with poorer health markers. These disparities in pathogen exposure may explain health inequalities across racial and socioeconomic groups.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Adult health disparities may originate from early-life biological dysfunction.
- Investigating the link between pathogen burden and health deficits is crucial for understanding these disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between pathogen burden and a cumulative deficits index (CDI).
- To explore how this association varies across different levels of social disadvantage, including race/ethnicity and education.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2004) for adults aged 20-49.
- Assessed pathogen burden using seven specific pathogens and calculated a CDI from 28 biomarkers.
- Stratified analyses by race/ethnicity and education level.
Main Results:
- A higher pathogen burden was observed in Black individuals and those with lower educational attainment compared to White individuals and those with higher education.
- Black individuals in the high pathogen burden group had a significantly higher CDI (0.05 greater) than those in the low burden group.
- While Whites also showed an increased CDI with higher pathogen burden, the effect was smaller (0.03 greater).
Conclusions:
- Significant social disparities exist in pathogen burden distribution across racial/ethnic groups.
- The impact of pathogen burden on health deficits appears more pronounced in socially disadvantaged populations.
- These findings highlight the role of pathogen exposure in exacerbating health inequalities.
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