Abstract
This symposium is intended to incorporate a biobehavioral approach to understanding the biological mechanisms that may underlie patterns of health in midlife and older ages. Psychosocial and behavioral factors are related to health status, but less is known about the biological manifestations of these factors and how they are linked to the development of health problems. Current research suggests that they may lead to physiological dysregulation, a precursor to morbidity and mortality. The research presented in this symposium will focus on the associations among biological mechanisms, health status, social status, and psychosocial experience using data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. First, Amy Thierry will discuss the links between the development of different measures of physical disability and telomere length, a biomarker associated with biological aging. The next two talks will examine the link between social status, health and C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an indicator of systemic inflammation. CRP has been linked to cardiometabolic problems and mortality. Heather Collins-Farmer will illustrate the complex relationships of race and all-cause mortality, by focusing on the ways that education, everyday discrimination, and CRP explain racial disparities in mortality. Finally, Marina Armendariz will explore the Hispanic paradox and test whether Mexican-Americans and those who were foreign-born have lower circulating CRP levels compared to their U.S.-born counterparts. After attending this session, participants will have a greater understanding of the roles that social status, behavior, and health status can influence physiological functioning, and thus, morbidity and mortality, in midlife and older ages.