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Background To investigate changes in sociocultural stressors and protective factors, and mental health in Latina mothers before and after the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Methods We examined changes in sociocultural stressors, protective factors, and mental health from two prospective cohorts of Latina mothers from interior and border US cities (Nashville, TN, n = 39 and San Diego, CA, ns range = 78–83; 2013–2020). Results We identified significant longitudinal increases in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress in the border city, and reductions in protective factors (e.g., optimism, social support, and familism) across sites. Discrimination varied by location, and was associated with higher stress only at baseline in the border city, and with higher anxiety in the interior city at follow-up. Acculturative stress was consistently associated with worse mental health across time points in the border city. Various protective factors were associated with reduced stress and anxiety across time points in both cities. Discussion We identified decreased mental health at the border city, and reduced protective factors in Latina mothers across both study sites in the years following the 2016 presidential nomination, during a time of shifting sociopolitical climate. We also identify increased acculturative stress and discrimination over time, particularly at the border city. Interventions to maintain and enhance psychosocial protective factors amongst Latina mothers are warranted.

Psychosocial stressors can become embodied to alter biology throughout the life course in ways that may have lasting health consequences. Immigrants are particularly vulnerable to high burdens of stress, which have heightened in the current sociopolitical climate. This study is an investigation of how immigration-related stress (IRS) may impact the cardiometabolic risk and epigenetic markers of Latinx immigrant mothers and children in Nashville, TN. We compared stress and resilience factors reported by Latina immigrant mothers and their children (aged 5–13) from two time points spanning the 2016 U.S. presidential election (June 2015–June 2016 baseline, n = 81; March–September 2018 follow-up, n = 39) with cardiometabolic risk markers (BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure). We also analyzed these factors in relation to DNA methylation in saliva of stress-related candidate genes (SLC6A4 and FKBP5), generated via bisulfite pyrosequencing (complete case n's range from 67–72 baseline and 29–31 follow-up) (n's range from 80 baseline to 36 follow-up). We found various associations with cardiometabolic risk, such as higher social support and greater acculturation were associated with lower BMI in mothers; discrimination and school stress associated with greater waist circumferences in children. Very few exposures associated with FKBP5, but various stressors associated with methylation at many sites in SLC6A4, including immigrant-related stress in both mothers and children, and fear of parent deportation in children. Additionally, in the mothers, total maternal stress, health stress, and subjective social status associated with methylation at multiple sites of SLC6A4. Acculturation associated with methylation in mothers in both genes, though directions of effect varied over time. We also find DNA methylation at SLC6A4 associates with measures of adiposity and blood pressure, suggesting that methylation may be on the pathway linking stress with cardiometabolic risk. More research is needed to determine the role of these epigenetic differences in contributing to embodiment of stress across generations.

Aim: To investigate associations of psychosocial stressors and resilience factors with DNA methylation age in the saliva of Latinx children of immigrants before and after the 2016 presidential election (2015–2018). Materials & methods: We compared psychosocial exposures with four distinct measures of epigenetic age assessed in the saliva of children (6–13 years, n = 71 pre-election; n = 35 post-election). Exploratory genome-wide analyses were also conducted. Results: We found distinct associations across epigenetic clocks and time points; for example, greater maternal social status pre-election and fear of parent deportation post-election both associated with decreased Hannum age (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: Although limited in size, our unique study design provides novel hypotheses regarding how the social environment may influence epigenetic aging and genome-wide methylation, potentially contributing to racial/ethnic health inequalities.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown adverse effects of a disadvantaged childhood on adult health-promoting behaviors and related outcomes. Optimism and social support have been linked to greater likelihood of engaging in healthy behavior, but it is unclear whether these positive psychosocial factors may buffer harmful effects of early adversity. This study aims to determine if optimism and social support in adulthood can modify effects of childhood disadvantage on health behavior-related outcomes. METHODS: Longitudinal data were analyzed from a subset of participants in a US birth cohort established in 1959–1966 (ns of 681–840, per outcome). An index of childhood social disadvantage was derived from adverse socioeconomic and family stability factors reported by mothers at child’s birth and age 7 years. Health behavior-related outcomes were self-reported when participants were of mean age 47 years. Multivariable adjusted robust Poisson regressions were performed. RESULTS: Regardless of level of childhood social disadvantage, we found higher levels of optimism and social support were both associated with higher probabilities of being a non-smoker (relative risk [RR](optimism) = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09–1.26; RR(social support) = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.11–1.39), having a healthy diet (RR(optimism) = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.10–1.43; RR(social support) = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.04–1.56), and a healthy body mass index (RR(optimism) = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.00–1.40; RR(social support) = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.00–1.66). Interactions link higher optimism or social support with lower risk of smoking among those with moderate childhood disadvantage. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings are consistent with the possibility that positive psychosocial resources contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle in mid-adulthood and may buffer effects of childhood social disadvantage.

Motivated by the humanitarian crisis along the US–Mexico border and the need for more integrative approaches to migrant death investigations, we employ both biological and cultural anthropology perspectives to provide insight into these deaths and the forensic identification process. We propose that structural vulnerabilities linked to ethnicity impact the success of identifying deceased migrants. Using forensic genetic data, we examine the relationships among identification status, case year, and ancestry, demonstrating how Native American and European ancestry proportions differ between identified and unidentified migrant fatalities, revealing an otherwise unrecognized identification bias. We find that Mexican migrants with more European ancestry are more often successfully identified in recent years. We attribute this bias in identification to the layers of structural vulnerability that uniquely affect indigenous Mexican migrants. By demonstrating the impact that social processes like structural violence can have on the relative success of forensic casework along the US–Mexico border, our work underscores the fact that forensic casework is itself a social process. Research undertaken with the intent to improve forensic identification protocols should consider social context, a factor that could significantly impact identification rates. This study shows the need for collaboration between forensic practitioners and those working closely with affected communities. [US–Mexico border, forensic anthropology, migration, admixture, DNA]