This project will explore how differences in educational attainment result in differential patterns of biological risk for a wide range of poor health outcomes. The proposed research will investigate cumulative biological risk profiles that underlie educational differences in rates of disease, disability, and death. Biological risk is conceptualized in this work as a summary of dysregulation and risk across a number of indicators including cardiovascular functioning, metabolic functioning, the inflammatory system, organ system dysfunction, and levels of vitamins and antioxidants. In addition to education, these biological risk factors will be related to a set of demographic, social, behavioral, psychological, health care availability and economic indicators to better understand the sources of observed education-related differences in biological risk profiles. The biological factors will also be included as independent variables in models predicting health outcomes to understand their mediating role between education and more downstream health outcomes. Use of the National Health Nutrition and Examination Surveys I, 11, ]II, and IV will allow examination of the relationships between educational attainment and biological risk and a variety of health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans (largely of Mexican origin), and Non-Hispanic Whites across all adult ages (20 and above) and across a period of time (from 1971 until 2002).
The specific aims of the project are to: l) Clarify the patterns of biological risk across a range of physiologic markers by educational attainment in order to identify the biological risk factors related to the """"""""earlier aging"""""""" of people with lower education. 2) Explore mechanisms which mediate education influences on biological risk. 3) Examine the links between education, biological risk, and health outcomes to determine the biological mechanisms that mediate the education/health relationship. 4) Examine changes over time in the patterning of biological risk by education.
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