Allostatic Load Among Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Hispanic Blacks, and People of Mexican Origin: Effects of Ethnicity, Nativity, and Acculturation

Abstract

Objectives We investigated ethnic differences in allostatic load in a population-based sample of adults living in Texas City, TX, and assessed the effects of nativity and acculturation status on allostatic load among people of Mexican origin. Methods We used logistic regression models to examine ethnic variations in allostatic load scores among non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and people of Mexican origin. We also examined associations between measures of acculturation and allostatic load scores among people of Mexican origin only. Results Foreign-born Mexicans were the least likely group to score in the higher allostatic load categories. Among individuals of Mexican origin, US-born Mexican Americans had higher allostatic load scores than foreign-born Mexicans, and acculturation measures did not account for the difference. Conclusions Our findings expand on recent research from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with respect to ethnicity and allostatic load. Our results are consistent with the healthy immigrant hypothesis (i.e., newer immigrants are healthier) and the acculturation hypothesis, according to which the longer Mexican immigrants reside in the United States, the greater their likelihood of potentially losing culture-related health-protective effects.

Racial and Ethnic Patterns of Allostatic Load Among Adult Women in the United States: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004

“…These results are consistent with prior research findings of health and mortality patterns reflecting selective in-migration of healthy individuals and outmigration of sick individuals among U.S. Mexicans 62,63 and confirm the findings of Crimmins et al 25 of a foreign-born advantage in biological risk profiles among Mexican men and women in the United States. Our findings also support Peek et al, 24 who reported that foreign-born Mexicans from a sample of men and women in Texas had lower scores of AL compared to U.S.-born Mexicans. In addition, results from our study demonstrated that nativity status differences in predicted AL scores for Mexican women increased with age, suggesting that the foreign-born health advantage is particularly salient among older individuals.…”

“…22 In addition, AL has been shown to be lower among Mexicans not born in the United States, that is, foreign-born Mexicans, compared to U.S.-born Mexicans and those with shorter duration of residence in the United States. [23][24][25] Lower SES, as measured by education, household income, neighborhood poverty and income, has also been associated with higher AL. 26,27 Whereas prior research using nationally representative samples has investigated race or SES differentials in AL, 23,[25][26][27] relatively less emphasis has been placed on gender differences and gender-specific patterns in AL.…”

“…A unique contribution of this study is that we analyze women specifically to better identify sociodemographic patterns of AL in a nationally representative sample of women, which allows for greater generalizability of results. Prior research [8][9][10]17,20,25 generally combines men and women when identifying AL cutoffpoints, with some exceptions, 24,28,29 despite research showing gender variation in distributions of individual biomarkers. 30 In comparison to women, men are at higher risk in cardiovascular markers, such as total cholesterol, blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, and waist/hip ratio.…”

Unauthorized Immigrants Spend Less Than Other Immigrants And US Natives On Health Care

“…25,26 Other studies have shown that immigrants lose their health advantage over time and begin to have health profiles similar to those of US natives. 27,28 Our results are consistent with these hypotheses because we found a stepped relationship between spending and level of acculturation: US natives spent the most on health care, naturalized citizens spent nearly as much as US natives, and unauthorized immigrants spent the least.…”

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status in Relation to All-cause, Cancer, and Cardiovascular Mortality in the Black Women’s Health Study

“…54,55 Allostatic load, a measure of the biological response to stress, has been positively associated with mortality. 56,57 Black Americans tend to have a higher allostatic load than do White Americans [58][59][60] and high allostatic load has been associated with low neighborhood SES, 61,62 particularly among Blacks. 63 Our present study adds prospective data to the sparse information on the relation of neighborhood SES to mortality risk among Black women; only one previous study prospectively investigated this association among Black women.…”