Everyday discrimination and telomere length in a multiethnic cohort of breast cancer survivors. Issue 3 (3rd April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aghaee, Sara; Allen, Amani; Ramirez, Julio; Shariff-Marco, Salma; Allen, Laura; DeRouen, Mindy; Elmofty, May; Marquez-Magana, Leticia; Gomez, Scarlett Lin
• Is Part Of: Ethnicity & health. Volume 27:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 542
• Page End: 553
• Publication Date: 2022-04-03
• Subjects: Breast cancer -- discrimination -- telomere length; Ethnic groups -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Ethnic groups -- Medical care -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Cross-cultural studies -- Periodicals; Ethnic Groups -- periodicals; Delivery of Health Care -- periodicals; Social Sciences -- periodicals; 362.1089
• DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2020.1739231
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1355-7858

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objectives: Racial/ethnic minority women have disproportionately lower breast cancer survival rates compared to white women. As minorities in the US are exposed to higher levels of discrimination, and exposure to discrimination has been associated with shorter telomere lengths (TLs), we investigated the association between perceived everyday discrimination and TL in a multiethnic sample of breast cancer survivors. Design: We examined a cohort of 58 breast cancer survivors who participated in a pilot study to investigate biological stress. Participants were drawn from the Equality in Breast Cancer Care (EBCC) study and were asked to provide saliva samples for DNA extraction. Ordinary least squares linear regression was used to derive regression coefficients ( β ) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Higher levels of everyday discrimination were associated with longer TLs ( e β = 1.04, CI: 1.01–1.07), adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, breast cancer stage, and breast cancer subtype. Luminal B subtypes were associated with longer telomeres relative to luminal A, while African Americans were less likely than Whites to have longer telomeres. Conclusions: Further research, particularly longitudinal studies, is needed to understand how discrimination, and other social stressors, impact biological stress and health outcomes.