Role of Social Disadvantage and Allostatic Load on Type 2 Diabetes and Cancer in U.S. Latinas

• In Event: Latina/o Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Roundtable 4: Health, Embodiment, and Structural Inequality

Abstract

This study integrated Geronimus’ weathering, the conceptual understanding of social disadvantage’s wear-and-tear effects on physiological stress response and chronic diseases, to investigate the relationship between social determinants of health (SDoH), allostatic load (AL), and type 2 diabetes and cancer outcomes. We conducted a secondary analysis of survey and electronic health data of a diverse U.S. Latina sample from the All of Us Research Program. Out of 6,639 participants, 35.2% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 21.3% with at least one type of cancer. Both conditions shared risk factors such as age, Mexican heritage, low SES, and food insecurity. Being U.S.-born, low-SES, and living in the Midwest were risk factors for elevated AL. Lastly, AL predicted diagnosis odds for type 2 diabetes but not cancer and did not mediate the association between SDoH and disease diagnoses.

Authors

• Han Le, Temple University

• Carolina Villamil Grest, School of Social Work, Barnett College of Public Health, Temple University