Experiences of parents of teenagers with life-threatening food allergies: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to synthesize the experiences of parents of teenagers with life-threatening food allergies. INTRODUCTION: Life-threatening food allergies are increasing globally, with a significant effect on families, particularly parents. The teenage years are a time of increasing autonomy for young people; however, for parents living with and caring for a teenager with a life-threatening food allergy, this responsibility can have a considerable impact. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will include qualitative studies on the experiences of parents of teenagers with life-threatening food allergies, including, but not limited to, caregiving, parenting, and psychosocial experiences; any day-to-day activities, happenings, thoughts, or feelings related to parenting a teenager with life-threatening food allergies; and the handing over of responsibility for the allergy to the teenager. The review will include studies on participants in the community and in health care settings such as inpatient hospitalizations, outpatient visits, school and sports events, family dinners, restaurants, and travel. Participants from all cultural backgrounds, socio-economic backgrounds, and countries will be included. METHODS: The review will follow the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. The search for published studies will include CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO (EBSCOhost); Embase (Ovid); LILACS, IBSS, and Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest). The search for unpublished studies will include ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD), Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE), Google, and Google Scholar. Databases will be searched from inception until the present. JBI tools and guidelines will be used to conduct critical appraisal, data extraction, data synthesis, and assessment of confidence in the findings. REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42024503698.

Community Engagement to Advance Equitable Cardio-Oncology Care: A Call to Action: JACC: CardioOncology How To.

•Situating engagement within the experience and priorities of survivors will enhance translational research and health equity.•The TRUST framework provides a guide to expand opportunities for community engagement in cardio-oncology for multiple constituents and across the care continuum.•Training community members as cardio-oncology champions may promote stakeholder representation.•Community connectors can support bidirectional engagement and support for survivors as they transition from active treatment.

Auricular Therapy for Migraine.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Migraine brings hours or even days of disability, affecting 15% of the US population and one billion people worldwide. Migraine treatments have improved over the years and there is now a range of non-pharmacologic therapies that can be administered as monotherapy, combined with pharmacologic therapy or combined with other non-pharmacologic therapies to give greater options for those who do not tolerate, do not respond to, or who wish to reduce or avoid pharmacologic treatments. RECENT FINDINGS: We conducted a review of the literature on auricular therapy as acute or preventive treatment for migraine, searching the databases of MEDLINE and ClinicalTrials.gov from 2013 to 2023. A total of 43 articles contained at least one search term, with three studies specific to acute or prevention of migraine (one for acute only, one for prevention only and one for both acute and prevention). The population was limited to, adults with migraine ages 18 or older, with the administration of auricular therapy as the intervention. While there have been studies on the use of auricular therapy for pain on two specific standardized auricular therapies, Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) and National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA), neither of these protocols were utilized in any of the studies specific to migraine management. Each of the three studies used different techniques, with one using acupuncture needles and five specific points and two using semi-permanent needles (remained in for a few days) that were placed in areas that showed high activity. Each of these studies showed auricular therapy to have benefit for the management of migraine. However, the authors of each of the studies recommended further studies. Auricular therapy may be a helpful adjunctive treatment to abort a current migraine attack or aid in reducing the frequency or severity of migraine attacks.

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Cardiovascular Health Among Diverse Women With Breast and Gynecologic Cancers.

OBJECTIVES: To examine if racial differences in cardiovascular health (CVH) are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) disparities among women with breast and gynecologic cancers. SAMPLE & SETTING: The sample consisted of 252 Black women and 93 White women without a self-reported history of cancer or CVD who developed a breast or gynecologic malignancy. Women who developed CVD before their cancer diagnosis were excluded. METHODS & VARIABLES: CVH was classified using metrics of the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 framework. Metrics were summed to create a total CVH score (0-7). Associations among race, ideal CVH (score of 5-7), and CVD incidence following cancer diagnosis were estimated with Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Ideal CVH was similar between Black women (33%) and White women (37%). Race and CVH were not associated with CVD incidence. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: In a small sample of women diagnosed with breast and gynecologic cancers, racial disparities in CVH and CVD incidence were not observed. Additional investigation of potential confounders relating to social determinants of health tied to the construct of race is warranted.

The EMeRGE theory of emerging adult-aged women's sexual and reproductive health self-management: A grounded theory study.

AIMS: To explore how emerging adult-aged women self-manage their sexual and reproductive health and to generate a grounded theory of these self-management processes. DESIGN: Grounded theory methods using a constructivist approach. METHODS: Between September 2019 and September 2020, 18- to 25-years-old women (n = 13) were recruited from a 4-year university, a 2-year community college, and neighbourhoods surrounding the institutions of higher education. Individual interviews were transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analysed using a constant comparative method and inductive coding. RESULTS: The theory purports that core processes of sexual and reproductive health self-management used by the women in this study included both passive and (re)active processes. These processes expanded upon and/or maintained the women's accessible sexual and reproductive health knowledge, behaviour and beliefs, defined as the sexual and reproductive health repertoire. The processes appeared to be cyclical and were often initiated by a catalysing event or catalyst and resulted in conversations with confidantes, or trusted individuals. A catalyst was either resolved or normalized by expanding or maintaining the sexual and reproductive health repertoire. CONCLUSION: The resulting theory, EMeRGE Theory, offers insight into the complex and cyclical processes emerging adult-aged women use to simultaneously develop and adapt their foundational sexual and reproductive health knowledge, behaviours and beliefs. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: This explication of emerging adult-aged women's sexual and reproductive health self-management processes can be used by nurses and nurse researchers to better address this population's unique health needs. IMPACT: The EMeRGE Theory provides valuable guidance for future exploratory and intervention research aimed at improving the health and well-being of emerging adult-aged women. REPORTING METHOD: The authors adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative studies (COREQ) in preparation of this publication. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

A scoping review of the concept of resilience among African American women.

Resilience, thriving in the face of adversity, is a critical component of well-being in African American women. However, traditional definitions and approaches to operationalize resilience may not capture race- and gender-related resilience experiences of African American women. A more complete conceptualization of resilience may help facilitate future investigation of the mechanisms through which resilience influences health in this group. Our team conducted a scoping review of the literature published during twenty years, between 2000 and 2019, on resilience and health in African American women. We included a multidisciplinary set of databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Social Work Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Academic Search Premier). Using Covidence software a multi-step review process was conducted; 904 abstracts were initially screened for eligibility, 219 full-text studies were screened in stage two, and 22 remaining studies were reviewed for extraction. The studies reviewed revealed limitations of unidimensional approaches to conceptualizing/operationalizing resilience in African American women. The review highlighted culturally-relevant components of resilience including spirituality/religion, strength, survival, active coping, and social support. Findings highlight the importance of operationalizing resilience as a multidimensional construct so it can be optimally included in research designed to investigate the quality of life, cardiovascular risk, and other health outcomes in African American women.

PIM-COVID study: protocol for a multicentre, longitudinal study measuring the psychological impact of surviving an intensive care admission due to COVID-19 on patients in the UK.

INTRODUCTION: Psychological distress is common in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and is anticipated in those who were treated for severe COVID-19 infection. This trainee-led, multicentre, observational, longitudinal study aims to assess the psychological outcomes of ICU survivors treated for COVID-19 infection in the UK at 3, 6 and/or 12 months after ICU discharge and explore whether there are demographic, psychosocial and clinical risk factors for psychological distress. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Questionnaires will be provided to study participants 3, 6 and/or 12 months after discharge from intensive care, assessing for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, health-related quality of life and physical symptoms. Demographic, psychosocial and clinical data will also be collected to explore risk factors for psychological distress using latent growth curve modelling. Study participants will be eligible to complete questionnaires at any of the three time points online, by telephone or by post. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The PIM-COVID study was approved by the Health Research Authority (East Midlands - Derby Research and Ethics Committee, reference: 20/EM/0247). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05092529.

The association between cardiovascular disease and breast and gynecologic cancers among black female patients.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about whether a breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis increases long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Black females. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis is associated with CVD risk and identify determinants of subsequent CVD risk among Black females with an incident breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis. METHODS: Using the Southern Community Cohort Study data from 2002-2016, this study was designed to analyze CVD incidence among Black females without cancer or CVD at enrollment. Cox proportional hazards regression models with or without covariates were used to explore the relationship between a breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis and CVD risk among women without cancer as well as without CVD at enrollment (N=11,486). In addition, Cox proportional hazards regression models, excluding those who developed CVD before breast and gynecologic cancer diagnosis and those with other types of cancers, were used to assess determinants of CVD risk among breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. RESULTS: Of 11,486 Black females, 531 developed a breast or gynecological cancer (4.6%) over a median follow-up of 140 months (interquartile range: 123-159 months). Compared to women without cancer, women with a breast or gynecological cancers had greater than 20% higher risk of incident CVD during the follow-up period. Without adjusting for covariates, positive association between CVD risk and breast cancer was observed (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11 - 1.39; p < 0.001); as well as between CVD risk and a gynecological cancer (HR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.03 - 1.46; p = 0.021). Yet, after adjusting for covariates, CVD risk was only significantly associated with breast cancer (p = 0.001) but not gynecologic cancer. In cancer case-only analyses, CVD risk was significantly increasing with age (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Like study populations of predominantly White females, our results suggest that, adjusting for covariates, Black females possess a higher risk of CVD following a breast cancer diagnosis compared to women who did not develop breast cancer. Our results suggest a need for active CVD surveillance in the cancer survivorship phase.

'Taking Care': A qualitative study of emerging adult-aged women's sexual and reproductive health definitions.

OBJECTIVE: Emerging adult-aged (EA;18-25 years) women have disproportionately high rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections compared to other women of reproductive age. Little is known about how EA women define and prioritize various aspects of sexual and reproductive health. The purpose of this study was to identify EA women determined definitions of sexual and reproductive health. METHODS: Between September 2019 and September 2020, 13 women were interviewed about their sexual and reproductive health. Interview transcripts were used to conduct qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Definitions provided by participants were grouped according to three distinct thematic categories, Being Safe, Healthcare as a Tool, and Mind-Body Connection. Being Safe included using condoms and taking steps to prevent sexually transmitted infections. Healthcare as a Tool referred to utilization of healthcare services (e.g., an annual exam) to manage sexual and reproductive health. Mind-Body Connection included acknowledgement of both the physical and mental aspects of sexual and reproductive health, as well as awareness of physical and emotional discomfort related to it. These categories highlight EA women's holistic definitions of sexual and reproductive health. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare providers and researchers can use the holistic sexual and reproductive health definitions endorsed by EA women in this study as a starting point for creating and delivering sexual and reproductive healthcare and counseling that is developmentally appropriate and sensitive to population-specific needs.

Racial disparities in treatment-related cardiovascular toxicities amongst women with breast cancer: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Black women often experience poorer breast cancer-related outcomes and higher mortality than white women. A contributor to this disparity may relate to the disproportionate burden of cancer treatment-related cardiovascular (CV) toxicities. The objective of this review is to identify studies that report racial differences in CV toxicity risk. METHODS: Medline and Embase were searched for studies that assessed CV toxicities as the outcome(s) and included Black and White women with breast cancer. Studies were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria and through the use of multiple reviewers. RESULTS: The review included 13 studies following a review of 409 citations and 49 full-text articles. All studies were retrospective and 8/13 utilized data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database. Trastuzumab was the most frequently studied treatment. The proportion of Black women in these studies ranged from 5.5 to 63%. A majority of studies reported a higher risk of CV toxicity amongst Black women when compared to white women (93%). Black women had up to a two times higher risk of CV toxicity (HR, 2.73 (CI, 1.24 to 6.01)) compared to white women. Only one study evaluated the role of socioeconomic factors in explaining racial differences in CV toxicity; however, the disparity remained even after adjusting for these factors. CONCLUSIONS: There is a critical need for more longitudinal studies that evaluate multilevel factors (e.g., psychosocial, biological) that may help to explain this disparity. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Black cancer survivors may require additional surveillance and mitigation strategies to decrease disproportionate burden of CV toxicities.

Regional adaptation of the education in palliative and end-of-life Care Pediatrics (EPEC-Pediatrics) curriculum in Eurasia.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric palliative care (PPC) is a priority to improve pediatric hematology oncology (PHO) care in Eurasia. However, there are limited regional opportunities for PPC education. We describe the adaptation and implementation of a bilingual end-user Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC)-Pediatrics course for PHO clinicians in Eurasia. METHODS: Due to COVID-19, this course was delivered virtually, consisting of prerecorded, asynchronous lectures, and a bilingual workshop with interactive lectures and small group sessions. A pre-postcourse design was used to evaluate the knowledge acquisition of the participants including their knowledge alignment with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, ideal timing of palliative care, and comfort in providing palliative care to their patients. Questions were mostly quantitative with multiple choice or Likert scale options, supplemented by free-text responses. RESULTS: A total of 44 (76%) participants from 14 countries completed all components of the course including pre- and postcourse assessments. Participant alignment with WHO guidance improved from 75% in the pre- to 90% in the postcourse assessments (p < 0.001). After participation, 93% felt more confident controlling the suffering of children at the end of life, 91% felt more confident in prescribing opioids and managing pain, and 98% better understood how to hold difficult conversations with patients and families. Most participants (98%) stated that they will change their clinical practice based on the skills and knowledge gained in this course. CONCLUSIONS: We present a successful regional adaptation of the EPEC-Pediatrics curriculum, including novel delivery of course content via a virtual bilingual format. This course resulted in significant improvement in participant attitudes and knowledge of PPC along with an understanding of the ideal timing of palliative care consultation and comfort in providing PPC to children with cancer. We plan to incorporate participant feedback to improve the course and repeat it annually to improve access to high-quality palliative care education for PHO clinicians in Eurasia.

The Modifying Role of Resilience on Allostatic Load and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in the Jackson Heart Study.

We examined whether resilience modified associations between allostatic load (AL), a physiological indicator of coping with repeated stressors, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among 2758 African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study. Baseline AL was quantified using biological measures of metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune markers. We constructed a multidimensional resilience measure using validated questionnaires for social support, social networks, religious experiences, and optimism. Participants were followed until 2016 for stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), and heart failure (HF). We used multivariable-adjusted, sex-stratified Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between dichotomous AL and CVD. High AL was associated with CHD among women (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.00, 2.99) and HF among women (HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.98, 2.37) and men (HR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.28, 3.68). Among women, resilience did not modify the AL-CVD relationship. Among men, we observed higher stroke risk among men with low resilience (HR = 2.21, 95% CI = 0.94, 5.22) and no association among those with high resilience. Counterintuitively, high AL was associated with greater HF (HR = 5.80, 95% CI = 2.32, 14.47) in the subgroup of men with high resilience. Future studies addressing different facets of resilience are needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms for CVD prevention among African Americans.

Sleep among Obstetrics and Gynecology Trainees: Results from a Yoga-Based Wellness Initiative.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the feasibility of using a wrist-based fitness tracking device to assess sleep among Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) trainees who engaged in a yoga-based wellness program. We also sought to evaluate the effects of yoga on sleep. STUDY DESIGN: A quality improvement initiative consisting of an 8-week wellness program of weekly yoga classes, nutrition, and physical challenges was implemented for OBGYN residents and Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellows. The Polar A370 fitness tracker device was provided and synced to the Polar Flow for Coach program for inclusion. Data obtained included total and restful sleep from each night the device were worn. Pre- and post-assessment of the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were compared. Linear mixed models were used to estimate and test the effect of yoga on sleep while controlling for on-call shifts. RESULTS: Of the 15 participants who synced their device, 13 (87%) were included for analysis. Sleep data from 572 nights were analyzed. The mean (SD) total sleep was 434.28 (110.03) minutes over the 8 weeks. A minimum of 7 hours (420 minutes) of total sleep occurred 59.3% of the time. After controlling for Friday or Saturday night on-call, those who attended yoga class had a significantly greater total sleep (yoga: 425.14 minutes [41.89], no yoga: 357.33 [43.04] minutes; p = 0.04). There was no significant change in the mean global PSQI score after the program (pre: 5.0 [1.6], post: 5.1 [2.5], p = 0.35). CONCLUSION: Wearable fitness monitors provide insight into sleep patterns displayed during training and can serve as a tool to identify those who are sleep deprived and assist in the evaluation of trainee wellness. Training programs are encouraged to provide access to yoga and mindfulness interventions to improve sleep and possibly clinical performance. KEY POINTS: · Yoga improves trainee sleep by approximately 60 minutes.. · Total and restful sleep are reduced during night float rotation.. · Trainees obtained 7 hours of sleep approximately 60% of the time..

A Framework for Interfacing and Partnering with Environmental Justice Communities as a Prelude to Human Health and Hazard Identification in the Vulnerable Census Tracts of Columbus, Ohio.

Columbus, Ohio is one of the more prosperous, well-educated, and progressive cities in the United States. However, it ranks as the second worst life expectancy at birth, has a census tract wealth gap (27-year disparity), and one of the higher infant mortality rates in the country. These data suggest that there are likely several high-risk, vulnerable neighborhoods in Columbus with residents experiencing disparate and adverse outcomes. Illustrative of this fact are studies that have examined the social processes and mechanisms through which neighborhood contexts are at the forefront, including exposures to chemical stressors such as particulate matter (PM2.5) as well as non-chemical stressors including violence, social determinants of health, zoning, and land use policies. It is documented that disparate and adverse outcomes are magnified in the vulnerable neighborhoods on the Near East Side as compared to Columbus city proper, Franklin County and/or the state of Ohio. As such, we developed a nuanced community engagement framework to identify potential environmental hazards associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in those census tracts. The refined framework uses a blended version of traditional community-based participatory research (CBPR) models and is referred to as E6, Enhancing Environmental Endeavors via e-Equity, Education, and Empowerment.

The Perioperative Quality Improvement Programme (PQIP patient study): protocol for a UK multicentre, prospective cohort study to measure quality of care and outcomes after major surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Major surgery accounts for a substantial proportion of health service activity, due not only to the primary procedure, but the longer-term health implications of poor short-term outcome. Data from small studies or from outside the UK indicate that rates of complications and failure to rescue vary between hospitals, as does compliance with best practice processes. Within the UK, there is currently no system for monitoring postoperative complications (other than short-term mortality) in major non-cardiac surgery. Further, there is variation between national audit programmes, in the emphasis placed on quality assurance versus quality improvement, and therefore the principles of measurement and reporting which are used to design such programmes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The PQIP patient study is a multi-centre prospective cohort study which recruits patients undergoing major surgery. Patient provide informed consent and contribute baseline and outcome data from their perspective using a suite of patient-reported outcome tools. Research and clinical staff complete data on patient risk factors and outcomes in-hospital, including two measures of complications. Longer-term outcome data are collected through patient feedback and linkage to national administrative datasets (mortality and readmissions). As well as providing a uniquely granular dataset for research, PQIP provides feedback to participating sites on their compliance with evidence-based processes and their patients' outcomes, with the aim of supporting local quality improvement. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been granted by the Health Research Authority in the UK. Dissemination of interim findings (non-inferential) will form a part of the improvement methodology and will be provided to participating centres at regular intervals, including near-real time feedback of key process measures. Inferential analyses will be published in the peer-reviewed literature, supported by a comprehensive multi-modal communications strategy including to patients, policy makers and academic audiences as well as clinicians.

Demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory parameters in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV2 infection at a community hospital in rural Pennsylvania.

INTRODUCTION: Inherent differences as well as health disparities among rural and urban populations warrant further studies focused on the characteristics and outcomes in COVID-19 patients in a rural setting. The aim of this study was to describe these elements in patients infected with SARS-CoV2, hospitalized at a single center in rural Pennsylvania. METHODS: Patients with SARS-CoV2 infections hospitalized between March-December 2020 were studied. Data were obtained from electronic health records generated reports and was retrospectively analyzed. Patients were classified into three groups according to severity. Distribution of variables was studied among these three groups. Using certain variables, we ran logistic regression analysis to study the odds of death and requirement of mechanical ventilation (MV). RESULTS: Among 335 hospitalized patients infected with SARS-CoV2, age more than 65 years increased the severity of clinical status and in-hospital mortality. Gender did not affect odds of death nor need for MV. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity, but diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increased the risk of death. In terms of laboratory parameters, our data suggests that maximum LDH marginally increased the risk of death and maximum WBC marginally increased the risk of need for MV and death. CONCLUSION: Through our basic analysis of various characteristics of SARS-CoV2 positive patients admitted in a rural hospital, we have identified certain risk factors associated with severe disease and increased in-hospital mortality. These were found to be largely similar to current literature from studies in urban populations, bolstering the reproducibility and generalizability of existing knowledge. This information lays the foundation for future studies to investigate the role of these factors in morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 in depth.

Factors Associated with Beverage Intake in Low-Income, Overweight, or Obese Pregnant Women.

This study examined consumption proportions and factors associated with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs), and 100% fruit juice (FJ) consumption. We recruited Non-Hispanic Black (n = 136) and White (n = 192) low-income overweight or obese pregnant women aged 18 to 46 years (mean = 25.7 years) from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinics in Michigan, USA. Independent variables included weight status, trimester, smoking, stress, education, employment, race, and age. Dependent variables were high (consuming ≥ 1 serving/day) versus low consumptions of SSB, ASB, and 100% FJ. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed to examine factors associated with beverage consumption. Out of the sample, 48.2%, 6.7%, and 31.3% reported high SSB, ASB, and 100% FJ consumption, respectively. SSB consumption was associated with smoking (OR: 3.77, p < 0.001), education (OR: 0.57, p = 0.03), and race (OR: 1.69, p = 0.03). Artificially sweetened beverage consumption was not associated with any factors examined. One hundred percent FJ consumption was associated with stress (OR: 0.90, p = 0.03) and race (OR: 4.48, p < 0.001). Clinicians may advocate for reductions in SSB and 100% FJ consumption tailored to client consumption characteristics.

Lifetime stressor exposure, systemic inflammation during pregnancy, and preterm birth among Black American women.

Although Black American mothers and infants are at higher risk for morbidity and mortality than their White counterparts, the biological mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain largely unknown. To investigate the role that lifetime stressor exposure, perceived stressor severity, and systemic inflammatory markers might play, we studied how these factors were interrelated in 92 pregnant Black American women. We also compared inflammatory marker levels for women who did versus did not go on to give birth preterm. During the early third trimester, women completed the Stress and Adversity Inventory for Adults to assess the stressors they experienced over their lifetime. Women also provided blood samples for plasma interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α quantification. Preterm births were identified by medical record review. Controlling for relevant covariates, there were significant positive associations between average levels of both overall and acute perceived stressor severity and plasma IL-1ß levels. Controlling for perceived stress at assessment and exposure to racial discrimination did not affect these results. Mediation models revealed that exposure to more chronic stressors was related to higher plasma IL-1ß levels, as mediated by higher average levels of overall perceived stressor severity. Exposure to fewer acute stressors was related to higher plasma IL-1ß levels, as mediated by higher average levels of acute perceived stressor severity. Finally, women who went on to give birth preterm had higher levels of plasma IL-6. These data thus highlight the potential importance of assessing and addressing lifetime stressor exposure among mothers before and during maternal-infant care.