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Race/Ethnic Differences in Life Course Exposure to Death: Consequences for Health

Award Number: R01AG054624
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/15/2018
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2022

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Race/Ethnic Differences in Life Course Exposure to Death: Consequences for Health - Abstract Since blacks have long had a much lower life expectancy than whites, we argue that a dramatic and overlooked element of racial disadvantage and adversity is exposure to the death of family members. Latinos, on the other hand, have modestly higher life expectancy than whites and much higher life expectancy than blacks. This suggests that Latinos may have similar exposure to the death of family members as whites and much less exposure than blacks, which may be important in the relatively favorable health profile of Latinos in the United States. The proposed project will shift thinking about racial/ethnic disparities and health by focusing on the death of family members throughout the life course as a fundamental cause of lifelong and accumulating disadvantage that affects long-term health and longevity. We hypothesize that the death of family members is more common and occurs earlier in the life course among blacks than Latinos and whites. In turn, death exposures shape the integrated biopsychosocial pathways that lead to poorer health and increased mortality risk, uniquely contributing to racial/ethnic disparities in physical health and mortality. We further hypothesize that these pathways will differ for men and women because of gender differences in family relationships, health outcomes, and potential mediating mechanisms such as health behaviors. This project relies on data from two NIH-sponsored national, longitudinal datasets (the Health & Retirement Study and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health) to estimate race/ethnic differences in specific (e.g., parents, children, siblings, spouses) and cumulative exposures to the death of family members across the life course, and how those exposures uniquely contribute to health from young adulthood to later life. Surprisingly little information is available concerning life course exposure to the death of multiple family members (and timing of deaths), and, in particular, racial/ethnic disparities in those exposures. The proposed project will provide the first in-depth and population-based analysis of race/ethnic differences in exposure to death of multiple family members from childhood through adulthood and how those exposures shape racial/ethnic disparities in health and mortality risk. This project is designed to produce a knowledge base that will inform specific and evidence-driven intervention and policy guidelines to address racial/ethnic disparities in health that result from exposure to death of multiple family members. The research team includes leading scientists who are nationally recognized in population health research. The team is characterized by a complementary set of talents and experience that uniquely positions them to carry out this innovative project.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = -$4,893 )
2024	2021	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	000	4	10/16/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$4,893
														Subtotal = -$4,893

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $333,599 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	000	4	2/4/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$333,599
														Subtotal = $333,599

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $333,608 )
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	000	3	12/26/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$300,246
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	001	3	1/23/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$33,362
														Subtotal = $333,608

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $345,046 )
2019	2019	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR, MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	000	2	12/24/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$345,046
														Subtotal = $345,046

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $647,104 )
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR, MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	002	1	9/6/2018	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$287,498
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR, MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	001	1	8/30/2018	NEW	$24,519
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN	110 INNER CAMPUS DR, MN 13	AUSTIN	TX	78712	TRAVIS	USA	Aging Research	000	1	3/12/2018	NEW	$335,087
														Subtotal = $647,104

Grand Total All Awards = $1,654,464

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Race/Ethnic Differences in Life Course Exposure to Death: Consequences for Health

Award Number: R01AG054624

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/15/2018

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2022

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