title: Epigenetics and Understanding the Impact of Social Determinants of Health.
abstract: Recently, a new research agenda emphasizing interactions between social factors and health has emerged. The term social determinant of health often refers to any nonmedical factor directly influencing health. Health across the life span is strongly and adversely affected by social disadvantage. Research in epigenetics indicates that alterations in DNA methylation may provide a causal link between social adversity and health disparity. Likewise, accelerated loss of telomeres is correlated with chronic stress. Research is still required to develop an understanding of the role of epigenetics and perturbed telomere function in linking social adversity with health outcome.
authors: Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. Electronic address: DAN1@princeton.edu.
authors: Daniel A
authors: DA
authors: Notterman
authors: Institute of Social Research, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 426 Thompson Street, 2264 ISR, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA.
authors: Colter
authors: C
authors: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D016615:Telomere
keywords: DNA; Epigenetics; Health disparity; Methylation; Social disparity; Telomere