Cortisol profiles differ by race/ethnicity among young sexual minority men

Cook, Stephanie; Juster, Robert Paul; Calebs, Benjamin J.; Heinze, Justin E.; Miller, Alison L.

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.10.006

Cited by 34 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, other studies have shown that discrimination contributes to poor physical health outcomes [66–70]. Moreover, stress physiology research reveals that Black/African-American sexual minority males have a flatter diurnal cortisol curve compared to White sexual minority males [71], which has been extensively linked to poor mental health and physical health outcomes in the literature [72–76]. Future studies should incorporate physical health outcomes in their evaluation of multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of health inequalities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health inequities

Khan

Ilcisin

Saxton

2017

Int J Equity Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThe theory of fundamental causes explains why health disparities persist over time, even as risk factors, mechanisms, and diseases change. Using an intersectional framework, we evaluated multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health disparities.MethodsUsing baseline data from the Project STRIDE: Stress, Identity, and Mental Health study, we examined the health effects of discrimination among individuals who self-identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. We used logistic and linear regression to assess whether multifactorial discrimination met the four criteria designating a fundamental cause, namely that the cause: 1) influences multiple health outcomes, 2) affects multiple risk factors, 3) involves access to resources that can be leveraged to reduce consequences of disease, and 4) reproduces itself in varied contexts through changing mechanisms.ResultsMultifactorial discrimination predicted high depression scores, psychological well-being, and substance use disorder diagnosis. Discrimination was positively associated with risk factors for high depression scores: chronic strain and total number of stressful life events. Discrimination was associated with significantly lower levels of mastery and self-esteem, protective factors for depressive symptomatology. Even after controlling for risk factors, discrimination remained a significant predictor for high depression scores. Among subjects with low depression scores, multifactorial discrimination also predicted anxiety and aggregate mental health scores.ConclusionsMultifactorial discrimination should be considered a fundamental cause of mental health inequities and may be an important cause of broad health disparities among populations with intersecting social identities.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health inequities

Khan

Ilcisin

Saxton

2017

Int J Equity Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In our review of the literature, there is only one published study on diurnal adrenocortical functioning at the intersection of sexual orientation and racial identities. Cook et al (2017) reported that Black bisexual and gay men had flatter diurnal cortisol output, reflecting less decline (i.e., shallower diurnal slope) and higher evening cortisol levels when compared to White bisexual and gay men. Our current study builds on Cook et al (2017) by assessing actual measurement of heterosexist and racist discrimination instead of only using marginalized social categorical identities.…”

Section: Adrenocortical Markers Of Stress Regulation In Response To Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cook et al (2017) reported that Black bisexual and gay men had flatter diurnal cortisol output, reflecting less decline (i.e., shallower diurnal slope) and higher evening cortisol levels when compared to White bisexual and gay men. Our current study builds on Cook et al (2017) by assessing actual measurement of heterosexist and racist discrimination instead of only using marginalized social categorical identities. Although it has been important and informative for researchers to apply psychosocial and neurobiological methods to studies with multiply marginalized populations, intersectionality scholars have critiqued the use of social categorical identifiers as proxies for experiences of oppression without assessing actual experiences (e.g., Bowleg, 2008;Cole, 2009;Parent et al, 2013).…”

Section: Adrenocortical Markers Of Stress Regulation In Response To Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges to Identity Integration Indirectly Link Experiences of Heterosexist and Racist Discrimination to Lower Waking Salivary Cortisol in Sexually Diverse Latinx Emerging Adults

Parra

Hastings

2020

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Heterosexist and racist discrimination may adversely impact neurobiological processes implicated in the physical and psychosocial well-being of sexually diverse Latinx people. Yet, little is known about how experiences of both heterosexist and racist discrimination are associated with adrenocortical and psychological functioning in groups of people with multiply marginalized social group identities. Through the application of the intersectionality, minority stress, and allostatic load frameworks, it was hypothesized that experiences of heterosexist and racist discrimination would be associated with disruptions to diurnal salivary cortisol patterns and challenges to identity integration. A group of sexually diverse (self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer) Latinx emerging adults (N = 51; ages 18-29, M = 24.06 years; SD = 2.73) provided saliva samples and completed a series of questionnaires during a four-day testing protocol. Heterosexist and racist discrimination were both positively associated with challenges to identity integration. Challenges to identity integration, in turn, were associated with lower intercepts of diurnal cortisol slopes, and heterosexist and racist discrimination were indirectly associated with lower cortisol intercepts via challenges to identity integration. These findings suggest that experiences of heterosexist and racist discrimination may interconnect by challenging sexual and ethnic/racial identity integration and disrupting adaptive adrenocortical regulation among sexually diverse Latinx emerging adults.

show abstract

“…Among the studies that examined ethnic differences in diurnal cortisol, there have been mixed findings. Some studies have observed similar diurnal cortisol profiles among ethnicities (Oishi, Krochik, Roth, & Sherman, ; Zeiders et al ., ), and others have found ethnic differences in diurnal cortisol (Berger et al ., ; Cook, Juster, Calebs, Heinze, & Miller, ; McCallum, Peterson et al ., ), while others find differences between some ethnicities and not others (Doane & Adam, ; He et al ., ). As mentioned previously, atypical diurnal cortisol rhythms may be related to dysregulation of the physiological stress system, which may be caused by interactions between various biopsychosocial factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnic differences in diurnal cortisol profiles in healthy adults: A meta‐analysis

Boileau

Barbeau

Sharma

et al. 2019

British J Health Psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose. Cortisol is a well-known biomarker of the physiological stress system; atypical cortisol patterns have been linked to many psychological and physiological illnesses. Previous studies have found vast health disparities among ethnic groups; however, studies examining the relationship between cortisol and ethnicity have found mixed results. This meta-analysis investigated whether there are differences in diurnal cortisol outcomes among ethnic groups, while considering the moderating roles of various individual factors and methodological approaches.Methods. Search phrases were entered into MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science. Effect sizes were extracted for ten diurnal cortisol outcomes, including waking, 30 min after waking, cortisol awakening response, slope, area under the curve, urinary twenty-four-hour secretion, total cortisol output, and midday, evening, and bedtime concentrations, for eight ethnic group comparisons, including Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Indigenous people, Whites, Minority and Majority groups, and Multiethnic groups. Moderator analyses, including variables such as gender, age, and number of cortisol collection time points, were conducted.Results. There were significant ethnic differences in diurnal cortisol profiles, including cortisol awakening responses, with more robust differences in ethnic comparisons that included White participants. Differences in diurnal cortisol profiles were also moderated by gender, mean age, and sample size.Conclusions. This meta-analysis supports the notion that ethnic groups exhibit distinct diurnal cortisol profiles, which, according to the biopsychosocial model of health, may be a result of unique sociocultural experiences. The limitations of this meta-analysis and future directions for stress research with various ethnic groups are discussed. Statement of contributionWhat is already known on this subject?Studies have found vast health disparities among ethnic groups. Psychological and physiological illnesses and atypical diurnal cortisol profiles are strongly correlated.Studies have examined the relationship between diurnal cortisol rhythms and ethnicity, but findings are mixed.

show abstract

Cortisol profiles differ by race/ethnicity among young sexual minority men

Cited by 34 publications

References 14 publications

Multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health inequities

Multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health inequities

Challenges to Identity Integration Indirectly Link Experiences of Heterosexist and Racist Discrimination to Lower Waking Salivary Cortisol in Sexually Diverse Latinx Emerging Adults

Ethnic differences in diurnal cortisol profiles in healthy adults: A meta‐analysis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About