Racial/Ethnic Differences in Biological Aging and Their Life Course Socioeconomic Determinants: The 2016 Health and Retirement Study
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 31, 2025

Using the Race Model Inequality to Quantify Behavioral Multisensory Integration Effects
Published on: May 10, 2019
Mateo P Farina1, Jung Ki Kim1, Eileen M Crimmins1
1Andrus Gerontology Center, 5116University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Objectives: This study examined differences in accelerated biological aging among non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States and assessed whether including life course socioeconomic conditions attenuated observed racial/ethnic differences. Methods: Data came from the Venous Blood Collection Subsample of the Health and Retirement Study. We used a comprehensive summary measure of biological age (BA-22). We determined whether key lifetime socioeconomic conditions contributed to racial/ethnic differences in biological aging. Results: Findings indicated that non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics have accelerated aging, and non-Hispanic Whites have decelerated aging. Racial/ethnic differences were strongly tied to educational attainment. We also observed a significant difference by birthplace for Hispanics. US-born Hispanics had accelerated biological aging, whereas foreign-born Hispanics did not. In age-stratified analyses, these racial/ethnic differences were found for adults aged 56-74, but not for adults aged 75+. Conclusions: These findings provide insight into biological differences underlying racial/ethnic disparities in health.
Related Concept Videos
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Longitudinal Research
The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Regression Toward the Mean

