Childhood obesity inequality in northeast China: joint effect of social economic status and school neighborhood environment.

BACKGROUND: Obesogenic environment is important in driving obesity epidemic. Children spend large amount of their time in schools. School neighborhood environment, as well as its interaction with socioeconomic status (SES) needs to be explored to provide evidence for children obesity prevention policies. METHODS: Objective anthropometric measurement, a household structured questionnaire, and school geospatial analyses were carried out on 3670 children (aged 9-12 years) of 26 schools in northeast China. Interaction between SES inter-categorical intersectionality group and school neighborhood environment was tested for the effect on children's body mass index z scores (z-BMI) and waist-hip ratio z scores (z-WHR), following formulation of SES inter-categorical intersectionality group based on household wealth, parental education, and parental occupation. RESULTS: SES groups formed by household wealth, parental education and parental occupation was associated with z-BMI and z-WHR for girls. Those from moderate wealth & self-employed (M&S) families had the highest adjusted z-BMI and z-WHR among all SES groups. School neighborhood environment factors interacted with SES groups in association with WHR for girls. Number of school neighborhood supermarkets and residential sites were negatively associated with z-WHR for girls from M&S families (ß= -0.45 (95%CI: -0.76, -0.15) for supermarkets; ß= -0.01 (95%CI: -0.03, 0.00) for residential sites). Number of school neighborhood convenience stores and public transport stops were positively associated with z-WHR for girls from M&S families (ß = 0.02 (95%CI: 0.00, 0.03) for convenience stores; ß = 0.23 (95%CI: 0.15, 0.31) for public transport stops). While non-significant association was found for number of vegetable stores. CONCLUSION: Girls from moderate wealth & self-employed families may be the group susceptible to school neighborhood environment. Local policies targeted at improving the school neighborhood environment may be one avenue for reducing socioeconomic disparities in obesity especially for girls.

Associations of congenital heart disease with deprivation index by rural-urban maternal residence: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: The risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) has been found to vary by maternal socioeconomic status (SES) and rural-urban residence. In this study, we examined associations of CHD with two maternal SES indicators and stratified the analysis by maternal rural-urban residence. METHODS: This was a population-based retrospective cohort study. We included all singleton stillbirths and live hospital births from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2018 in Ontario, Canada. We linked the BORN Information System and Canadian Institute for Health Information databases. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations of CHD with material deprivation index (MDI), social deprivation index (SDI), and maternal residence while adjusting for maternal age at birth, assisted reproductive technology, obesity, pre-pregnancy maternal health conditions, mental health illness before and during pregnancy, substance use during pregnancy, and infant's sex. MDI and SDI were estimated at a dissemination area level in Ontario and were categorized into quintiles (Q1-Q5). RESULTS: This cohort study included 798,173 singletons. In maternal urban residence, the p trend (Cochran-Armitage test) was less than 0.0001 for both MDI and SDI; while for rural residence, it was 0.002 and 0.98, respectively. Infants living in the most materially deprived neighbourhoods (MDI Q5) had higher odds of CHD (aOR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.12-1.29) compared to Q1. Similarly, infants living in the most socially deprived neighbourhoods (SDI Q5) had an 18% increase in the odds of CHD (aOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.1-1.26) compared to Q1. Rural infants had a 13% increase in the odds of CHD compared to their urban counterparts. After stratifying by maternal rural-urban residence, we still detected higher odds of CHD with two indices in urban residence but only MDI in rural residence. CONCLUSION: Higher material and social deprivation and rural residence were associated with higher odds of CHD. Health interventions and policies should reinforce the need for optimal care for all families, particularly underprivileged families in both rural and urban regions. Future studies should further investigate the effect of social deprivation on the risk of CHD development.

Mortality due to HIV/AIDS in Viet Nam: time trend and related socio-economic status in some populations and periods from 2005 to 2014.

The study examined mortality due to HIV/AIDS and its time trend and ecological variables of socio-economic status during 2005-2014. Mortality data were obtained from the database of population-based mortality registration. Five variables including name, age, sex, date of death, and cause of death were collected from 10,184 of 10,769 local state health centers. Mortality rates ratio and 95% confidence interval (MRR, 95%CI) were calculated to observe the risk of death from HIV/AIDS-related to socio-economic status and time trends. The age-adjusted HIV/AIDS mortality rate increased from 5.49 per 100,000 during 2005 to 6.03 during 2006 and 6.20 during 2007. An elevated risk of death was seen in high mountain districts in Nghe An province, adjusted MRR = 5.38, 95%, CI: 4.76-6.08 relative to the urban areas of Vinh and Cua Lo cities. The highest age-adjusted mortality rate (147.1 per 100,000) was observed in a commune located in Thai Nguyen province. There was a statically significant decrease in HIV/AIDS mortality in Nghe An province from 2005-2006 to 2013-2014 (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that people living with HIV/AIDS in disadvantaged regions have a higher risk of death but there was a significant decrease in HIV/AIDS mortality in Nghe An province by 2013-2014.

Access to a high resource environment protects against accelerated maturation following early life stress: A translational animal model of high, medium and low security settings.

Early life exposure to a low security setting, characterized by a scarcity of resources and limited food access, increases the risk for psychiatric illness and metabolic dysfunction. We utilized a translational rat model to mimic a low security environment and determined how this manipulation affected offspring behavior, metabolism, and puberty. Because food insecurity in humans is associated with reduced access to healthy food options the "low security" rat manipulation combined a Western diet with exposure to a limited bedding and nesting manipulation (WD-LB). In this setting, dams were provided with limited nesting materials during the pups' early life (P2-P10). This manipulation was contrasted with standard rodent caging (SD) and environmental enrichment (EE), to model "medium security" and "high security" environments, respectively. To determine if transitioning from a low to high security environment improved outcomes, some juvenile WD-LB offspring were exposed to EE. Maternal care was impacted by these environments such that EE dams engaged in high quality care when on the nest, but spent less time on the nest than SD dams. Although WD-LB dams excessively chased their tails, they were very attentive to their pups, perhaps to compensate for limited resources. Offspring exposed to WD-LB only displayed subtle changes in behavior. However, WD-LB exposure resulted in significant metabolic dysfunction characterized by increased body weight, precocious puberty and alterations in the hypothalamic kisspeptin system. These negative effects of WD-LB on puberty and weight regulation were mitigated by EE exposure. Collectively, these studies suggest that both compensatory maternal care and juvenile enrichment can reduce the impact of a low security environment. Moreover, they highlight how utilizing diverse models of resource (in)stability can reveal mechanisms that confer vulnerability and resilience to early life stress.

Disease and disparity in China: a view from stroke and MI disease.

BACKGROUND: The actual distribution of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) associated with social economic status (SES) among the Chinese population is unclear. We aim to understand the development of disparity in stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) across different income groups in Chinese population. METHODS: Data about stroke and MI disease, income, gender, and areas were obtained from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor (CCDRF) Survey in 2007, 2010, and 2013. Respondents were categorized into different income groups according to their income rank, disease rate was calculated in each group, and difference in disparities between genders, health behaviors, and areas were further identified. Association of disease prevalence rate and income was verified by logistic regression. Trends in stroke and MI disease prevalence rate across income gradients; trends in the correlation between stroke and MI disease prevalence rate and income over time; variation in stroke and MI disease levels and its disparity across income groups by gender, region, and health behavior. Disease prevalence rate is age-adjusted by using China census 2010 population structure as a standard. RESULTS: Three waves of survey were included, the sample size in each wave was 45,095 (year 2007), 84,117 (year 2010), and 134,962 (year 2013). Four major findings were delivered. First, the stroke and MI prevalence rate of Chinese population increased from 2007 to 2013. Second, for each survey wave, a negative correlation between stroke and MI risk with income was identified, and this correlation became weaker over time. The gap in stroke and MI prevalence rate between the richest people and the poorest people decreased from 2007 (gap = 2.5 percentage points) to 2013 (gap = 1.6 percentage points). Third, the identified health inequality varied across genders, regions, and health behaviors. For example, female population used to face a sharper decline in prevalence rate when income grew, this correlation, however, faded over time. The rural-urban difference in disease risk was found to be the largest in the bottom income group (in 2013, the prevalence rate in urban area was 5%, which was 1.8% higher than rural places), this rural-urban difference converged as income increased. Fourth, conditioning on the smoking behavior, the negative association of income and stroke and MI prevalence rate was identified, however, conditioning on the drinking behavior, the association of income and disease morbidity was inconclusive. CONCLUSION: During 2007 and 2013, the Chinese residents experienced a growth in stroke and MI prevalence rate, meanwhile, the increase in income was associated with a decrease in prevalence rate. However, this health disparity became weaker over time since the prevalence rate was more equally distributed across income gradients as time passed by. Although male population faced a systematically higher stroke and MI disease risk than female, the prevalence disparity in different income groups were similar in both sexes in 2013. In addition, there were also regional differences in inequality in terms of the association of disease and income.

Parenting matters: a longitudinal study into parenting and adolescent sleep.

The current three-wave longitudinal study examined the differential relations between general parenting behaviour (monitoring, autonomy granting, and the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship) and adolescent sleep (bedtimes, time in bed, sleep quality and sleepiness) over a period of 2 years. At Time 1, the sample consisted of 650 adolescents between 12 and 15 years old (M = 13.36 years; SD = 0.55 years). At Time 2, 563 adolescents participated, and at Time 3 there were 493 adolescents. The distribution of boys and girls was about equal. Adolescents completed questionnaires in the classroom. Linear mixed model analyses were performed, controlling for sex, age, social economic status and ethnicity. Results showed that higher levels of monitoring contributed to earlier bedtimes, longer time in bed, better sleep quality and less sleepiness. The parent-adolescent relationship quality showed positive associations with time in bed, sleep quality and sleepiness, but not with bedtimes. Autonomy granting appeared hardly to be related to any of the sleep variables. In addition, passing of time, sex and ethnicity contributed to adolescent sleep as main effects or in interaction with parental control and support, suggesting that the main effects of monitoring and the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship are not constant across the whole range of the covariates. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that general parenting behaviour may contribute to better adolescent sleep over time. Therefore, the involvement of parents in improvement of adolescent sleep is highly advocated.

Do social economic status modify the association between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms? A big sample cross-sectional study from the rural areas of Central China.

BACKGROUND: Fewer studies have examined the relationship between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms in rural residents. Social economic status (SES), as an important indicator of the current state of socioeconomic development, we know little about how it modifies the relationship between air pollution and symptoms of depression or anxiety. METHODS: The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-2) and generalized anxiety scale (GAD-2) were used to learn about the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the social economic status of the participants was categorized into two levels: lower and higher, and a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between air pollution and residents' symptoms of depression or anxiety. RESULTS: A total of 10,670 adults were enrolled in this study, of which a total of 1292 participants suffered from depressive symptoms and 860 suffered from anxiety symptoms. Short-term exposure to PM2.5 and O3, singly or in combination, may be associated with the onset of depression symptoms, and there was a significant interaction between SES and exposure to PM2.5 or O3. Residents of areas with higher SES may have a lower risk of suffering from anxiety symptoms after O3 exposure compared to participants living in lower SES. LIMITATIONS: The study was a cross-sectional study, which may have lowered the quality level of the evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term PM2.5 and O3 exposure may be associated with an increased prevalence risk of depressive symptoms. Higher levels of SES may reduce the adverse effects of air pollution on depressive or anxiety symptoms.

Preterm birth and adolescent social functioning-alterations in emotion-processing brain areas.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between preterm birth, adolescent, and adult psychosocial outcomes, and alterations in gray matter volume. STUDY DESIGN: Individuals (n = 73) born at <33 weeks of gestation (very preterm) and 49 controls completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at age 15 years to identify 'social immaturity' (SI) cases. Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate gray matter volumes according to CBCL-SI 'caseness.' The Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) was administered at age 19 years. RESULTS: Very preterm adolescents were almost 4 times more likely to reach CBCL-SI 'caseness' compared with controls. Ex-preterm SI 'cases' had increased gray matter volume in the fusiform gyrus bilaterally (Talairach coordinates: x = 60, y = -27, z = -30; Z = 3.78; x = -61, y = -35, z = -27; Z = 3.56, after correction for multiple comparisons) compared with ex-preterm SI 'noncases.' Left fusiform volume displayed a stronger correlation with ipsilateral orbitofrontal cortex in SI 'cases' (x = -15, y = 22, z = -26; Z = 3.64). CIS-R total scores were slightly higher in ex-preterm individuals compared with controls. In the whole sample, SI 'cases' in midadolescence also had higher CIS-R scores in adulthood compared with 'noncases' (SI 'cases': mean = 5.7, 95% CI = 4.0-7.4; SI 'noncases': mean = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.1-4.3; F = 6.4, df = 74; P = .013). CONCLUSIONS: Ex-preterm adolescents had increased socialization problems in adolescence, which were associated with volumetric alterations in an emotion-processing brain network. Atypical social development is linked to an increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorder.

Chinese senior primary school students' civic literacy and its affecting factors.

Introduction: Measuring the current situation of civic literacy of senior primary school students (grade 5 and 6) and exploring its affecting factors is the basis for improving the effectiveness of civic education at this stage. Methods: The research developed the measurement questionnaire through item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and other methods. It then was distributed nationwide online through stratified and cluster sampling, through which 1642 valid questionnaires were finally collected. The study took mean analysis, difference analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. Results: The statistical results eventually showed the civic literacy of China's senior primary school students is, on the whole, at a comparatively high level. Chinese scholars Zhang Jiajun and Xu Jiao combined the particularity of civic literacy to divide it into four dimensions and the performance of the four dimensions of civic literacy is revealed to be: civic affection > civic cognition > civic competence > civic behavior. Further, a significant difference exists in students' civic literacy by gender (girls' civic literacy scores M = 299.53, SD = 28.15, N = 785 are significantly higher than the boys' civic literacy scores M = 293.18, SD = 32.25, N = 857, t = 4.263, p < 0.01), and whether they have been student leaders (those students who served as student leaders M = 304.33, SD = 26.57, N = 649 those who were not student leaders M = 290.86, SD = 31.69, N = 984, t = 9.272, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The family social economic status (SES) and school education were significantly positively correlated with students' civic literacy. Based on this, primary schools should implement educational compensation for cultivating civic literacy among the socioeconomically disadvantaged senior primary school students and carry out civic education according to the specific conditions of civic literacy of senior students.

Individual and household risk factors for COVID-19 infection among household members of COVID-19 patients in home-based care in western Uganda, 2020.

Objective: To investigate factors associated with COVID-19 among household members of patients in home-based care (HBC) in western Uganda. Methods: We conducted a case-control and cohort study. Cases were reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosed 1-30 November 2020 among persons in HBC in Kasese or Kabarole districts. We compared 78 case-households (≥1 secondary case) with 59 control-households (no secondary cases). The cohort included all case-household members. Data were captured by in-person questionnaire. We used bivariate regression to calculate odds and risk ratios. Results: Case-households were larger than control-households (mean 5.8 vs 4.3 members, P<0.0001). Having ≥1 household member per room (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=4.5, 95% CI 2.0-9.9), symptom development (aOR=2.3, 95% CI 1.1-5.0), or interaction with primary case-patient (aOR=4.6, 95% CI 1.4-14.7) increased odds of case-household status. Households assessed for suitability for HBC reduced odds of case-household status (aOR=0.4, 95% CI=0.2-0.8). Interacting with a primary case-patient increased the risk of individual infection among household members (adjusted risk ratio=1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.8). Conclusion: Household and individual factors influence secondary infection risk in HBC. Decisions about HBC should be made with these in mind.

Subjective Family Socioeconomic Status and Peer Relationships: Mediating Roles of Self-Esteem and Perceived Stress.

This study explored the relationships between subjective family socioeconomic status (FSES), self-esteem, perceived stress, and perceived peer relationships among Chinese adolescents. A total of 1,353 adolescents (age range: 15-19 years) were asked to complete a questionnaire. Mediation analysis revealed that subjective FSES influenced perceived peer relationships in three ways: first, through the mediating effect of perceived stress; second, through the mediating effect of self-esteem; and third, through the serial mediating effects of perceived stress and self-esteem. The results remained significant after controlling for parental education. In addition, a contrast analysis showed no significant differences in the mediating effects of self-esteem and perceived stress. Thus, we suggest that steps should be taken to improve adolescents' self-esteem and reduce their stress through training interventions and preventive measures, to help them improve their perceived peer relationships and reduce adverse effects associated with low subjective FSES.

Risk Factors Linked to Depression After Treatment in Cancer Survivors in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Background While many cancer patients survive long after diagnosis, one is bound to experience long-term and latent side effects as a result of the treatment. This experience results in a poor quality of life, morbidity, and mortality for cancer survivors. Understanding how to manage these side-effects is quite important and a key to cancer survivorship. Objective Given the importance of this area, the main objective of this study seeks to understand the risk factor associated with cancer survivorship. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 154 cancer survivors from King Fahad General and Kind Abdul-Aziz hospitals. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing the responses. Descriptive statistics were used in understanding the extent of the risk factors while inferential statistics were used to understand the cross-relationships. Results This study included 154 cancer survivors aged 18 and above at King Fahad Hospital and King Abdul-Aziz Hospital in Jeddah, Makkah Region, KSA. Thirty-one (20.1%) of the sample were males and 123 (79.9%) were females. Of all the survivors who screened, 111 (72.9%) symptoms occur before treatment, 116 (75.3%) within the treatment, and 57 (37.09%) after treatment. The relationship between Socioeconomic Status Cross Symptoms categories demonstrated below includes accommodation type, education level, age, gender, and job. Conclusion The study concludes that post-cancer treatment symptoms are highly affected by other factors such as social-economic status as well as family support. As a result, the study recommends the establishment of educational materials on post-treatment symptoms, care-plans, and support groups for cancer survivors.

Nutrition transition and double burden of malnutrition in Africa: A case study of four selected countries with different social economic development.

BACKGROUND: Disease and lifestyle patterns have been changing rapidly especially in Africa due to transformation in economic development and urbanization. Research on the magnitude and consequences of these transformations in Africa is limited. This study investigates the shifts in nutritional status in children and adults in four selected low-, middle- and high-income countries in Africa, identifies factors associated with the shifts, and provides recommendations for future studies. METHODS: Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa were selected based on their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Nationally representative data were obtained from the 2017 Global Nutrition Report, Demographic Health Surveys (DHSs), and the World Health Organization (WHO) database. Prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity were assessed and compared across the countries, gender, residence, and over time. Results: South Africa had the highest GDP and largest prevalence of overweight and obesity rates in children < 5 years old and adults > 18 (13.3% and 51.9%, respectively). Malawi, with the lowest GDP, had the highest stunting rate (37.0%). In all 4 countries, but most notably in South Africa, trends indicated that the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity was much greater than the declining rate of underweight. Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana had a slight decline in overweight prevalence in children under 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional shifts are occurring in Africa and seem to be heavily influenced by economic development. The double-burden of malnutrition presents prioritization challenges for policymakers. Attention needs to be shifted towards prevention of obesity, at least in the higher income countries in Africa.

Correlation between income and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between income and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a Chinese population. METHOD: subjects were divided into three groups according to liver fat content (LFC). (1) normal: LFC < 9.15%, 197 cases; (2) low LFC: LFC 9.15-20%, 532 cases; and (3) high LFC: LFC > 20%, 201 cases. Participants' clinical and social background were collected, including a routine fasting test to assess the relevant indices. Intergroup differences were compared on 1-way ANOVA, to analyze the relation between income and each index on Pearson correlation, and independent factors for LFC were identified on binary logistic regression. RESULTS: (1) In retired persons, prevalence of NAFLD was greater in females (81.2%) than males (75%), but fell with age: the highest prevalence was between 40 and 49 years of age (87.5%), and the lowest above 70 years (68%). (2) Income correlated positively with triglyceride and serum uric acid levels and LFC (P < 0.05) and negatively with alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.01). (3) As income increased from level I to V, prevalence of NAFLD increased progressively (P < 0.05). In the study, LFC was taken as the dependent variable, and the traditional NAFLD risk factors and income level (I-V) were taken as independent variables. Income emerged as an independent risk factor for NAFLD. Risk in group V was 1.964-fold higher than in group I. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of NAFLD was closely related to socio-economic level. Demographic risk factors include female gender, age 40-49 years, and monthly income > 5,000 RMB. Thus, if income is increased without improving educational level and health awareness, NAFLD prevalence will rise.

Effects of Immigration on Infant Feeding Practices in an Inner City, Low Socioeconomic Community.

OBJECTIVE: Infant feeding practices have been shown to differ between immigrants and non-immigrants in the United States. Our study characterizes feeding practices of infants of immigrant versus American-born mothers followed in an inner city Pediatric continuity clinic serving predominantly low socioeconomic status families. METHODS: A survey was given to 102 parents of infants ranging from 12 to 15 months of age who attended the clinic. Parents were asked about their country of origin, ethnic background and time since immigration to the US. They were also asked about their breastfeeding and early infant feeding practices. Statistical significance was estimated using chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Not only were breastfeeding rates higher among immigrant mothers compared to American-born mothers (88% vs. 63%, p-value 0.008) but they introduced commercially available baby food less frequently (37% vs. 52%, p-value 0.03) and rarely fed their infants fast food (22% vs. 50%, p-value<0.001). Moreover, breast feeding rates decreased with duration of residence in the United States. 53% of immigrant mothers who have been in the United States for less than 5 years breastfed for over 6 months versus 22% of immigrant mothers who resided more than 5 years in the United States (p-value 0.02). The vast majority of immigrant mothers who switched to formula did so because they felt their milk production was insufficient (93%) whereas the vast majority of American-born mothers stopped breastfeeding because they perceived it to be painful (64%, p value 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Infant feeding practices differ between immigrant and American-born mothers and the differences diminish the longer the mothers reside in the United States. These differences stem from differences in cultural perceptions of breastfeeding. Therefore, in educating mothers about infant feeding, physicians should strongly consider cultural and ethnic factors.

Candida vaginitis among symptomatic pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Mwanza, Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to determine the patterns of Candida spp. causing vaginitis and associated factors among pregnant women attending antennal clinic in Mwanza, Tanzania. RESULTS: A total of 197 (65.6%) out of 300 non-repetitive swabs had positive growth of Candida spp. Candida albicans 125 (63.4%) was the most predominant isolated specie followed by C. tropicalis 35 (17.8%) and C. glabrata 33 (16.8%). Laboratory confirmed candida vaginitis was independently predicted by douching practices (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3-7.5 P = 0.007), history of antibiotics use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.02-3.0, P = 0.04) and low social economic status (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.1-3.7 P = 0.02). About two-third of pregnant women with clinical features of vaginitis attending antenatal clinic in Mwanza, Tanzania were confirmed to have Candida vaginitis mainly caused by Candida albicans.

The Effects of Family Socioeconomic Status on Psychological and Neural Mechanisms as Well as Their Sex Differences.

Family socioeconomic status (SES) is an important factor that affects an individual's neural and cognitive development. The two novel aims of this study were to reveal (a) the effects of family SES on mean diffusivity (MD) using diffusion tensor imaging given the characteristic property of MD to reflect neural plasticity and development and (b) the sex differences in SES effects. In a study cohort of 1,216 normal young adults, we failed to find significant main effects of family SES on MD; however, previously observed main effects of family SES on regional gray matter volume and fractional anisotropy (FA) were partly replicated. We found a significant effect of the interaction between sex and family income on MD in the thalamus as well as significant effects of the interaction between sex and parents' educational qualification (year's of education) on MD and FA in the body of the corpus callosum as well as white matter areas between the anterior cingulate cortex and lateral prefrontal cortex. These results suggest the sex-specific associations of family SES with neural and/or cognitive mechanisms particularly in neural tissues in brain areas that play key roles in basic information processing and higher-order cognitive processes in a way females with greater family SES level show imaging outcome measures that have been associated with more neural tissues (such as greater FA and lower MD) and males showed opposite.

Depression among Chinese older adults: A perspective from Hukou and health inequities.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that socioeconomic status is linked to health status. However, most of these studies have been conducted in developed countries, whose social settings are different from those in China. Hukou (household registration) status, one of China's main socioeconomic indicators, has received limited attention in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between different Hukou statuses, and depression, among older adults in China. METHODS: The data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). In total, 7409 Chinese older adults aged 60 and over were included in the survey. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) was used to assess depressive symptoms. The various Hukou statuses were coded into four categories: villager, temporary rural-to-urban migrant, permanent rural-to-urban migrant and urban local citizen. RESULTS: The results indicated that the level of depressive symptoms was significantly higher among villagers (beta [ß] 1.40, 95%CI 0.83-1.96), temporary migrants (beta [ß] 0.97 95%CI 0.38-1.56) and permanent migrants (beta [ß] 0.52 95%CI 0.04-1.00) than among urban local citizens. In addition, people who had experienced changes in their Hukou status before age 16 were more likely to have depressive symptoms (beta [ß] 1.39, 95% CI 0.20-2.58). LIMITATIONS: Being cross-sectional, this study is insufficient for determining causal relationships between Hukou status and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that deeper reform of the Hukou system, and greater efforts to eliminate the health disparities associated with that system, are needed in China.

The relationship between maternal responsivity, socioeconomic status, and resting autonomic nervous system functioning in Mexican American children.

Adversity, such as living in poor socioeconomic conditions during early childhood, can become embedded in children's physiology and deleteriously affect their health later in life. On the other hand, maternal responsivity may have adaptive effects on physiology during early childhood development. The current study tested both the additive and interactive effects of socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal responsivity measured at 1year of age on resting autonomic nervous system (ANS) function and trajectory during the first 5years of life. Participants came from a birth cohort comprised of Mexican-origin families living in California. Children's resting ANS functioning (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA; pre-ejection period; PEP; and heart rate; HR) was collected at 1, 3.5, and 5years of age (N=336) and modeled across time using Hierarchical Linear Modeling. Consistent with hypotheses, results showed that low SES predicted flatter trajectories of resting HR and PEP over early childhood (i.e., patterns of consistently higher heart rate; shorter PEP), whereas children who experienced positive maternal responsivity had steeper trajectories in RSA and PEP over time (i.e., increasing parasympathetic activation; decreasing sympathetic activation). The interaction between SES and maternal responsivity significantly predicted RSA intercept at age 5, such that among children living in low SES environments, high maternal responsivity mitigated the negative effect of poverty and predicted higher resting RSA at 5years of age. Results are consistent with the early life programming theory that suggests that environmental influences become biologically embedded in the physiology of children living in socially disadvantaged contexts, and identify increased maternal responsivity as a developmental mechanism that could offset the deleterious effects of low SES.