Major experiences of perceived discrimination across life and biological aging

Abstract

Perceived lifetime discrimination may accelerate aspects of biological aging, but it is unknown whether there are life stages during which experiencing discrimination has the greatest biological impacts. In this study, we tested the effects of total forms of perceived lifetime discrimination experienced both across life and in specific lifespan stages on biological aging. Health and Retirement Study participants (N = 2986, M_age=68 years, 46.2 % Male, 73.4 % White) reported most recent experiences of perceived lifetime discrimination events and their years of occurrence; events were summed across one’s life (total forms of perceived lifetime discrimination across life) and in the following life stages: childhood (0–17 years), young adulthood (18−39), midlife (40−59), and late adulthood (60 +). Blood drawn after survey completion (average 5.89 years later) was used to measure biological aging outcomes, including inflammation (CRP, IL-6, and sTNFR-1) and epigenetic age. In multilevel models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status, and the time interval between completing the discrimination questionnaire and blood draw, those who experienced greater total forms of perceived lifetime discrimination had higher levels of CRP (γ=0.08, p < 0.001) and IL-6 (γ=0.07, p < 0.001). When testing each life stage in separate models, more perceived lifetime discrimination events in young adulthood were associated with higher IL-6 (γ=0.05, p = 0.015). When comparing the effects of the life stages within the same model among adults age 45 + (n = 2978), more perceived lifetime discrimination events in young adulthood were independently associated with higher IL-6 (γ=0.07, p = 0.001) and in midlife with higher CRP (γ=0.06, p = 0.011) and IL-6 (γ=0.07, p = 0.002). Perceived lifetime discrimination was not associated with sTNFR-1 or epigenetic age. More perceived lifetime discrimination events – both across one’s life and in certain adult developmental life stages – are associated with higher levels of later-life inflammation. In particular, young adulthood and midlife may be sensitive periods during which experiencing perceived lifetime discrimination has the greatest immunological impacts.