Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26765221›Full record

ArticleSocial science & medicine (1982)2016

Economic hardship and biological weathering: The epigenetics of aging in a U.S. sample of black women.

Ronald L Simons, Man Kit Lei, Steven R H Beach, Robert A Philibert, Carolyn E Cutrona, Frederick X Gibbons, Ashley Barr

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Social science & medicine (1982), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 123 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
123citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
19.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

123 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 215 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Environmental, Lifestyle, and Health Factors Associated With DNA Methylation Age.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2020
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  17. Weathering the STORM and Forecasting Equity for Older Black Women: Expanding Social Determinants of Health.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Lifetime trauma exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging among midlife women.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2025
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  20. Article

63 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.

Ronald L SimonsDepartment of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30606, USA. Electronic address: rsimons@uga.edu.
Man Kit LeiCenter for Family Research, University of Georgia, USA.
Steven R H BeachDepartment of Psychology, University of Georgia, USA.
Robert A PhilibertDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, USA.
Carolyn E CutronaDepartment of Psychology, Iowa State University, USA.
Frederick X GibbonsDepartment of Psychology, University of Connecticut, USA.
Ashley BarrDepartment of Sociology, SUNY Buffalo, USA.
University of Georgia · USFamily Research Institute · USIowa State University · USUniversity at Buffalo, State University of New York · USUniversity of Connecticut · USUniversity of Iowa · US

Funding

Vulnerability and Resiliency in African American ParentsR01MH062666 · NIMH · IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY · PI CUTRONA, CAROLYN E · 2001 to 2010
$5.6M
Social Determinants of Inflammation and Metabolic Syndrom among African AmericansR01HL118045 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · PI SIMONS, RONALD L · 2014 to 2017
$2.3M
The Effects of Smoking on DNA Methylation in Primary Human Lymphocytes.R21DA034457 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI PHILIBERT, ROBERT A · 2012 to 2013
$370k
NHLBI NIH HHS HL118045NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL118045NIDA NIH HHS P30DA02782NIDA NIH HHS R21 DA034457NIDA NIH HHS R21DA034457NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH062666NIMH NIH HHS R01MH62666NIMH NIH HHS R01MH62699
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPast research has linked low socio-economic status (SES) to inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, and various chronic and age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and dementia. These studies suggest that the challenges and adversities associated with low SES may result in premature aging and increased risk of morbidity and mortality.

objectiveBuilding upon this research, the present study investigates various avenues whereby low income might accelerate biological aging.

methodsStructural equation modeling and longitudinal data from a sample of 100 Black, middle-aged women residing in the United States was used to investigate the effect of income on a recently developed epigenetic measure of biological aging. This measure can be used as a "biological clock" to assess, at any point during adulthood, the extent to which an individual is experiencing accelerated or decelerated biological aging.

resultsLow income displayed a robust association with accelerated aging that was unaffected after controlling for other SES-related factors such as education, marital status, and childhood adversity. Further, our analyses indicated that the association between income and biological aging was not explained by health-related behaviors such as diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, or having health insurance. Rather, in large measure, it was financial pressure (difficulty paying bills, buying necessities, or meeting daily expenses) that accounted for the association between low income and accelerated aging.

conclusionsThese findings support the view that chronic financial pressures associated with low income exert a weathering effect that results in premature aging.

Indexed as

Health StatusAging, PrematureBlack or African AmericanEconomic RecessionEpigenomicsFemaleHumansSocioeconomic FactorsUnited StatesAccelerated agingBiological agingBiological clockFinancial pressureMethylation and aging

Identifiers

PMID26765221
PMCPMC4733569
OpenAlexW2196351065

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.