The discovery of us: stress, inflammation, and health disparities in African Americans (AA) 4595

Abstract Description Background African Americans (AAs) experience high rates of metabolic diseases, partly due to structural racism, stress, and environmental factors. Stress is linked to elevated inflammation, leading to chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Cytokines such as IL-3, IL-4, IL-7, IFN-γ, and IFN-α2 play roles in T2D. We propose that perceived stress in AAs is associated with increased inflammation and worsening health disparities. Methods A cross-sectional study of 535 AAs (n = 192 males, n = 343 females) aged 18-100 residing in Georgia examined correlations between stress, racial discrimination, and inflammation. Data on demographics, health metrics, perceived stress, and discrimination were collected. Inflammatory biomarkers (cytokines) were assessed using blood samples, with statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) for BMI, HbA1c, and inflammation across mild, moderate, and high-stress levels. Results Significant correlations were found between stress levels and cytokines. In females, IFN-γ (p = 0.03) and IL-7 (p = 0.004) were correlated with perceived stress. In males, IFN-γ (p = 0.01) and BMI (p < 0.0001) were correlated with cytokines. HbA1c was significantly correlated with IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-7 in both genders with mild and moderate stress and IFN-γ for both genders with high stress levels. Conclusions Elevated stress is linked to increased inflammation and metabolic changes. Findings suggest the need for interventions to address stress-induced health disparities in AAs. Funding Sources This research is supported by rant numbers U54MD007602 and R01MD017405 from the National Institutes of Health. Topic Categories Cytokines and Chemokines and Their Receptors (CCR)