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Papers by Babak Najand

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural Variation in Behavioral Correlates of Cortical Thickness among 9-10-Year-Old Children

Research paper thumbnail of The link between residential stability and youth substance use: Role of stressful life events and behavioral problems

Journal of medicine, surgery, and public health, Mar 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of What is Common Becomes Normal; Black-White Variation in the Effects of Adversities on Subsequent Initiation of Tobacco and Marijuana During Transitioning into Adolescence

Journal of mental health and clinical psychology, Feb 8, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Highly Educated Black Americans Report Higher than Expected Perceived Job Demands

Journal of rehabilitation therapy, Dec 26, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Association between Nucleus Accumbens Volume and Future Tobacco and Marijuana Use in Early Adolescence

Journal of medicine, surgery, and public health, Apr 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Immigration, Educational Attainment, and Subjective Health in the United States

Journal of mental health and clinical psychology, Jan 5, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Exposure to Adverse Life Events among Children Transitioning into Adolescence: Intersections of Socioeconomic Position and Race

Journal of mental health and clinical psychology, Jan 4, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Household income and subsequent youth tobacco initiation: Minorities’ Diminished Returns

Journal of medicine, surgery, and public health, Apr 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep-deprived electroencephalography, a forgotten investigation in psychiatry; a case series

International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, Jan 22, 2022

Objectives Many patients with psychiatric disorders may have epileptic disorders; however, clinic... more Objectives Many patients with psychiatric disorders may have epileptic disorders; however, clinical diagnosis without imaging investigation may result in misdiagnosis and thus resistance to treatment. We investigated electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in the patients with psychiatric disorders referred to us with treatment resistance. Methods In this case series study, nine patients with mood and psychotic symptoms who were referred to us at Belmont Private Hospital, Australia, from August 2018 to July 2020, were evaluated. Results Complete examination showed the presence of undiagnosed temporal lobe epilepsy. Notably, the seizure symptoms had been assumed as part of other psychiatric co-morbidities. Conclusions This study suggests the necessity of paying attention to the biological etiologies of mental illnesses in the initial assessments in psychiatric and neurological practice. Performing electroencephalogram and treating such patients with mood stabilizers, which have antiepileptic properties, can change the course of the mental illness decisively.

Research paper thumbnail of Parental Education and Adolescents’ Asthma: The Role of Ethnicity

Children (Basel), Jan 31, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Association between School Achievement and Tobacco Susceptibility among US Adolescents: Ethnic Differences

Children (Basel), Feb 9, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Race, Educational Attainment, and Sustained High Body Mass Index over 24 Years of Follow-up in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, May 2, 2023

Background Educational attainment has been linked to reduced risk of health problems such as obes... more Background Educational attainment has been linked to reduced risk of health problems such as obesity, but research suggests that this effect may be weaker for non-Hispanic Black individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals, a pattern known as minorities' diminished returns (MDRs). Objectives This study is aimed at examining the differential association between educational attainment and sustained high body mass index (BMI) among non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White middle-aged and older adults in the USA. Methods Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) spanning 1992-2016, we analyzed a national sample of 35,110 individuals, including 7766 non-Hispanic Black and 27,344 non-Hispanic White individuals. We used logistic regression models to examine the relationship between educational attainment, race, and sustained high BMI, while controlling for age, sex, and marital status at baseline. Results Approximately 30.6% of the sample (n = 10,727) had sustained high BMI, while 69.4% (n = 24,383) had sustained low BMI over the period of follow-up. Higher levels of educational attainment were associated with a lower risk of sustained high BMI. We also found, however, that the protective effects of education against sustained high BMI were weaker for non-Hispanic Blacks compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the protective effects of educational attainment against sustained high BMI may be more robust for non-Hispanic Whites than for non-Hispanic Blacks. Further research should explore whether these results are found in other racial and ethnic minorities and whether potential life history experiences may contribute to these disparities.

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnic Variation in the Association Between Objective and Subjective Health in Older Adults

International journal of travel medicine and global health, Sep 3, 2022

Introduction The link between objective (e.g., number of chronic medical conditions [CMCs]) and s... more Introduction The link between objective (e.g., number of chronic medical conditions [CMCs]) and subjective (e.g., self-rated health [SRH]) health is well-established in health psychology literature. 1,2 Several national and local studies in community settings have documented an inverse association between number, types of CMCs and individuals' subjective wellbeing. 3 Individuals with heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis are at risk of depression, anxiety, poor SRH, and low quality of life. 3 Although the link between subjective and objective health is known, 4-6 this linkage may differ across ethnic groups. 7-14 Different ethnic groups utilize different coping mechanisms to deal with adversities such as CMCs. 15 Although CMCs-SRH is also expected in African American populations, this association is expected to be weaker for African American individuals compared to White individuals. 7-14 However, comparative studies are exclusively limited to those comparing African American and White individuals. We are unaware of any comparative study of African American people that has included a non-White control group. African Americans' health paradox 16,17 can be defined as better subjective health of African American population, despite their worse objective health and other adversities. This phenomenon reflects the resilience of African American populations, particularly older adults who have high number of CMCs. Various scholars have attributed this observation to the growth and flourishing in the presence of adversity. Although this phenomenon is documented repeatedly, 16,17 it is unknown whether the paradox also exists when African Americans are compared with ethnic groups other than Whites. The current study tested the African Americans' health paradox with inclusion of Latinos as the control group. Methods Design and Setting This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2015 and 2020 in low socioeconomic status areas of South Los Angeles. Latino and African American older adults with CMCs were http://ijtmgh.com

Research paper thumbnail of Immigration Status, Educational Level, and Perceived Discrimination in Europe

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jan 26, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Black Americans’ Diminished Health Returns of Employment During COVID-19 Pandemic

International journal of travel medicine and global health, Aug 5, 2022

Introduction Social determinants of health (SDoH) and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such ... more Introduction Social determinants of health (SDoH) and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as employment have systemic health effects for individuals and populations. 1,2 Mirowsky and Ross, 3-5 Marmot, 6-11 Link and Phelan, 12-15 House and Lantz, 16-18 and others 19 have conducted multiple studies showing that regardless of their type, SDoH and SES indicators correlate with health outcomes. Other individuals such as Heckman, 20 McLoyd, 21 Cabrera et al, 22 McLanahan, 23 Brenner et al, 24 Brody and Flor, 25 and others 26 have shown that these effects hold for families and children as well. Some of the health effects of SES indicators are due to their coincidence with life stressors, adherence to health behaviors, neighborhood quality, and healthy development. 27,28 For example, SES and SDoH indicators such as education, income, and employment protect individuals against tobacco use. 29,30 This becomes more important as the effects of these social constructs on special pattering of tobacco use have become more and more salient over time. 29 As such, tobacco use has become an issue requiring tailored intervention rather than a universally homogenous health problem. 31-33 However, the link between SES and SDoH indicators has complexities and nuances. First, different SES indicators may have different effects. We may observe differential effect of SES indicators for each outcomes. For example, improving education may better reduce cognitive risk compared to other SES indicators. Second, various SES indicators may operate through different mechanisms that may or may not have overlap. For example employment alters social context and residential area, social network, friends, access to power, stress, and income. Education, however, encourages healthy choices and behaviors, while income provides power, reduces stress, increases control over life, and does not have similar effects across social and demographic groups. SES http://ijtmgh.com

Research paper thumbnail of Family Income May Better Protect White Than Black American Youth Against Suicidality

Hospital practices and research, May 28, 2022

Background A wide range of social and economic factors alter the risk of undesired mental health ... more Background A wide range of social and economic factors alter the risk of undesired mental health outcomes such as suicidality. 1 Poverty, 2 economic difficulty, 3 stressful life events, 4 perceived stress, 5 trauma, 6 adverse childhood experiences, 7 family conflict, 8,9 and discrimination 10,11 all deteriorate the mental health of children and increase the risk of psychopathology, which contributes to suicidality. 12 However, not all of these social influences are equal across children from various social backgrounds. 13,14 Given that socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as family income have strong effects on children's mental health, it is essential to understand whether the effects of family income, one of the main SES indicators, on youth suicidality vary by race/ethnicity. Such a study should control for a wide range of other social influences such as general stress and trauma that may confound the link between family income and suicidality. 15 Very little knowledge exists about racial variation in high family income as a protective factor against suicidality among children. The dearth of studies examining whether race moderates associations between family-related factors and suicidality partly accounts for this research gap. Traditionally, suicidality is seen as a White, not a Black, public health problem. 16,17 Most research shows that White children, youth, and adults are more likely to commit suicide than their Black peers. 18-20 Studies have attributed low acceptability of suicidality in Black families 21,22 to high resilience, 23-25 religiosity, 21 and supportive social relations 26-28 in Black communities.

Research paper thumbnail of Social Determinants of Mental, Physical, and Oral Health of Middle-Aged and Older African Americans in South Los Angeles

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Dec 14, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Immigration Status, Socioeconomic Status, and Self-Rated Health in Europe

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Nov 25, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of High Systolic Blood Pressure of High-Income African American Children

Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, Jul 7, 2023

Background According to the Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, racism may reduce the h... more Background According to the Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, racism may reduce the health returns of family socioeconomic status (SEP) resources such as family income for racial minorities, particularly African Americans, compared to Whites. However, we are unaware of any previous studies on racial variation in the protective effects of family income on children's blood pressure. Aim We conducted this study to compare the overall effects of family income on pre-adolescents' systolic and diastolic blood pressure, test racial variation in this effect, and investigate whether racial variation in this regard is due to racial differences in body mass index. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 4007 racially diverse US children 9-10 years old. The independent variable was family income measured as a three-level categorical variable: less than $50 K USD, 50-100 K USD, and 100 + K USD. The primary outcomes were systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured up to three times at 1-min time intervals. Body mass index was the mediator. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis to adjust for data nested to the centers, families, and individuals. Age, gender, parental education, family structure, and Latino ethnicity were covariates. Results In the pooled sample and in the absence of interaction terms in the model, family income did not show an inverse association with children's systolic (for 100 + K USD family income: β = − 0.71, p = 0.233 and for 50-100 K USD family income: β = 0.01, p = 0.989) or diastolic blood pressure (for 100 + K USD family income: β = − 0.66, p = 0.172 and for 50-100 K USD family income: β = 0.23, p = 0.600). However, race showed a significant interaction with family income on systolic blood pressure (for 50-100 K USD × African American: β = 2.75, p = 0.034), suggesting higher systolic blood pressure of African American adolescents from high-income backgrounds. Racial variation in the protective effect of family income on systolic BP was no more significant (for 50-100 K USD × African American: β = 2.14, p = 0.149) after we controlled for body mass index (BMI), which was higher for African American than White adolescents. Conclusion The association between high family income and reduced systolic blood pressure in pre-adolescence might be weaker for African Americans compared to Whites, a difference that African American adolescents' higher body mass index can explain.

Research paper thumbnail of Number of Chronic Medical Conditions and Quality of Life of Ethnic Minority Older Adults

Geriatrics, Sep 29, 2022

Number of Chronic Medical Conditions and Quality of Life of Ethnic Minority Older Adults.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural Variation in Behavioral Correlates of Cortical Thickness among 9-10-Year-Old Children

Research paper thumbnail of The link between residential stability and youth substance use: Role of stressful life events and behavioral problems

Journal of medicine, surgery, and public health, Mar 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of What is Common Becomes Normal; Black-White Variation in the Effects of Adversities on Subsequent Initiation of Tobacco and Marijuana During Transitioning into Adolescence

Journal of mental health and clinical psychology, Feb 8, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Highly Educated Black Americans Report Higher than Expected Perceived Job Demands

Journal of rehabilitation therapy, Dec 26, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Association between Nucleus Accumbens Volume and Future Tobacco and Marijuana Use in Early Adolescence

Journal of medicine, surgery, and public health, Apr 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Immigration, Educational Attainment, and Subjective Health in the United States

Journal of mental health and clinical psychology, Jan 5, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Exposure to Adverse Life Events among Children Transitioning into Adolescence: Intersections of Socioeconomic Position and Race

Journal of mental health and clinical psychology, Jan 4, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Household income and subsequent youth tobacco initiation: Minorities’ Diminished Returns

Journal of medicine, surgery, and public health, Apr 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep-deprived electroencephalography, a forgotten investigation in psychiatry; a case series

International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, Jan 22, 2022

Objectives Many patients with psychiatric disorders may have epileptic disorders; however, clinic... more Objectives Many patients with psychiatric disorders may have epileptic disorders; however, clinical diagnosis without imaging investigation may result in misdiagnosis and thus resistance to treatment. We investigated electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in the patients with psychiatric disorders referred to us with treatment resistance. Methods In this case series study, nine patients with mood and psychotic symptoms who were referred to us at Belmont Private Hospital, Australia, from August 2018 to July 2020, were evaluated. Results Complete examination showed the presence of undiagnosed temporal lobe epilepsy. Notably, the seizure symptoms had been assumed as part of other psychiatric co-morbidities. Conclusions This study suggests the necessity of paying attention to the biological etiologies of mental illnesses in the initial assessments in psychiatric and neurological practice. Performing electroencephalogram and treating such patients with mood stabilizers, which have antiepileptic properties, can change the course of the mental illness decisively.

Research paper thumbnail of Parental Education and Adolescents’ Asthma: The Role of Ethnicity

Children (Basel), Jan 31, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Association between School Achievement and Tobacco Susceptibility among US Adolescents: Ethnic Differences

Children (Basel), Feb 9, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Race, Educational Attainment, and Sustained High Body Mass Index over 24 Years of Follow-up in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, May 2, 2023

Background Educational attainment has been linked to reduced risk of health problems such as obes... more Background Educational attainment has been linked to reduced risk of health problems such as obesity, but research suggests that this effect may be weaker for non-Hispanic Black individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals, a pattern known as minorities' diminished returns (MDRs). Objectives This study is aimed at examining the differential association between educational attainment and sustained high body mass index (BMI) among non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White middle-aged and older adults in the USA. Methods Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) spanning 1992-2016, we analyzed a national sample of 35,110 individuals, including 7766 non-Hispanic Black and 27,344 non-Hispanic White individuals. We used logistic regression models to examine the relationship between educational attainment, race, and sustained high BMI, while controlling for age, sex, and marital status at baseline. Results Approximately 30.6% of the sample (n = 10,727) had sustained high BMI, while 69.4% (n = 24,383) had sustained low BMI over the period of follow-up. Higher levels of educational attainment were associated with a lower risk of sustained high BMI. We also found, however, that the protective effects of education against sustained high BMI were weaker for non-Hispanic Blacks compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the protective effects of educational attainment against sustained high BMI may be more robust for non-Hispanic Whites than for non-Hispanic Blacks. Further research should explore whether these results are found in other racial and ethnic minorities and whether potential life history experiences may contribute to these disparities.

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnic Variation in the Association Between Objective and Subjective Health in Older Adults

International journal of travel medicine and global health, Sep 3, 2022

Introduction The link between objective (e.g., number of chronic medical conditions [CMCs]) and s... more Introduction The link between objective (e.g., number of chronic medical conditions [CMCs]) and subjective (e.g., self-rated health [SRH]) health is well-established in health psychology literature. 1,2 Several national and local studies in community settings have documented an inverse association between number, types of CMCs and individuals' subjective wellbeing. 3 Individuals with heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis are at risk of depression, anxiety, poor SRH, and low quality of life. 3 Although the link between subjective and objective health is known, 4-6 this linkage may differ across ethnic groups. 7-14 Different ethnic groups utilize different coping mechanisms to deal with adversities such as CMCs. 15 Although CMCs-SRH is also expected in African American populations, this association is expected to be weaker for African American individuals compared to White individuals. 7-14 However, comparative studies are exclusively limited to those comparing African American and White individuals. We are unaware of any comparative study of African American people that has included a non-White control group. African Americans' health paradox 16,17 can be defined as better subjective health of African American population, despite their worse objective health and other adversities. This phenomenon reflects the resilience of African American populations, particularly older adults who have high number of CMCs. Various scholars have attributed this observation to the growth and flourishing in the presence of adversity. Although this phenomenon is documented repeatedly, 16,17 it is unknown whether the paradox also exists when African Americans are compared with ethnic groups other than Whites. The current study tested the African Americans' health paradox with inclusion of Latinos as the control group. Methods Design and Setting This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2015 and 2020 in low socioeconomic status areas of South Los Angeles. Latino and African American older adults with CMCs were http://ijtmgh.com

Research paper thumbnail of Immigration Status, Educational Level, and Perceived Discrimination in Europe

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jan 26, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Black Americans’ Diminished Health Returns of Employment During COVID-19 Pandemic

International journal of travel medicine and global health, Aug 5, 2022

Introduction Social determinants of health (SDoH) and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such ... more Introduction Social determinants of health (SDoH) and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as employment have systemic health effects for individuals and populations. 1,2 Mirowsky and Ross, 3-5 Marmot, 6-11 Link and Phelan, 12-15 House and Lantz, 16-18 and others 19 have conducted multiple studies showing that regardless of their type, SDoH and SES indicators correlate with health outcomes. Other individuals such as Heckman, 20 McLoyd, 21 Cabrera et al, 22 McLanahan, 23 Brenner et al, 24 Brody and Flor, 25 and others 26 have shown that these effects hold for families and children as well. Some of the health effects of SES indicators are due to their coincidence with life stressors, adherence to health behaviors, neighborhood quality, and healthy development. 27,28 For example, SES and SDoH indicators such as education, income, and employment protect individuals against tobacco use. 29,30 This becomes more important as the effects of these social constructs on special pattering of tobacco use have become more and more salient over time. 29 As such, tobacco use has become an issue requiring tailored intervention rather than a universally homogenous health problem. 31-33 However, the link between SES and SDoH indicators has complexities and nuances. First, different SES indicators may have different effects. We may observe differential effect of SES indicators for each outcomes. For example, improving education may better reduce cognitive risk compared to other SES indicators. Second, various SES indicators may operate through different mechanisms that may or may not have overlap. For example employment alters social context and residential area, social network, friends, access to power, stress, and income. Education, however, encourages healthy choices and behaviors, while income provides power, reduces stress, increases control over life, and does not have similar effects across social and demographic groups. SES http://ijtmgh.com

Research paper thumbnail of Family Income May Better Protect White Than Black American Youth Against Suicidality

Hospital practices and research, May 28, 2022

Background A wide range of social and economic factors alter the risk of undesired mental health ... more Background A wide range of social and economic factors alter the risk of undesired mental health outcomes such as suicidality. 1 Poverty, 2 economic difficulty, 3 stressful life events, 4 perceived stress, 5 trauma, 6 adverse childhood experiences, 7 family conflict, 8,9 and discrimination 10,11 all deteriorate the mental health of children and increase the risk of psychopathology, which contributes to suicidality. 12 However, not all of these social influences are equal across children from various social backgrounds. 13,14 Given that socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as family income have strong effects on children's mental health, it is essential to understand whether the effects of family income, one of the main SES indicators, on youth suicidality vary by race/ethnicity. Such a study should control for a wide range of other social influences such as general stress and trauma that may confound the link between family income and suicidality. 15 Very little knowledge exists about racial variation in high family income as a protective factor against suicidality among children. The dearth of studies examining whether race moderates associations between family-related factors and suicidality partly accounts for this research gap. Traditionally, suicidality is seen as a White, not a Black, public health problem. 16,17 Most research shows that White children, youth, and adults are more likely to commit suicide than their Black peers. 18-20 Studies have attributed low acceptability of suicidality in Black families 21,22 to high resilience, 23-25 religiosity, 21 and supportive social relations 26-28 in Black communities.

Research paper thumbnail of Social Determinants of Mental, Physical, and Oral Health of Middle-Aged and Older African Americans in South Los Angeles

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Dec 14, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Immigration Status, Socioeconomic Status, and Self-Rated Health in Europe

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Nov 25, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of High Systolic Blood Pressure of High-Income African American Children

Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, Jul 7, 2023

Background According to the Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, racism may reduce the h... more Background According to the Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, racism may reduce the health returns of family socioeconomic status (SEP) resources such as family income for racial minorities, particularly African Americans, compared to Whites. However, we are unaware of any previous studies on racial variation in the protective effects of family income on children's blood pressure. Aim We conducted this study to compare the overall effects of family income on pre-adolescents' systolic and diastolic blood pressure, test racial variation in this effect, and investigate whether racial variation in this regard is due to racial differences in body mass index. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 4007 racially diverse US children 9-10 years old. The independent variable was family income measured as a three-level categorical variable: less than $50 K USD, 50-100 K USD, and 100 + K USD. The primary outcomes were systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured up to three times at 1-min time intervals. Body mass index was the mediator. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis to adjust for data nested to the centers, families, and individuals. Age, gender, parental education, family structure, and Latino ethnicity were covariates. Results In the pooled sample and in the absence of interaction terms in the model, family income did not show an inverse association with children's systolic (for 100 + K USD family income: β = − 0.71, p = 0.233 and for 50-100 K USD family income: β = 0.01, p = 0.989) or diastolic blood pressure (for 100 + K USD family income: β = − 0.66, p = 0.172 and for 50-100 K USD family income: β = 0.23, p = 0.600). However, race showed a significant interaction with family income on systolic blood pressure (for 50-100 K USD × African American: β = 2.75, p = 0.034), suggesting higher systolic blood pressure of African American adolescents from high-income backgrounds. Racial variation in the protective effect of family income on systolic BP was no more significant (for 50-100 K USD × African American: β = 2.14, p = 0.149) after we controlled for body mass index (BMI), which was higher for African American than White adolescents. Conclusion The association between high family income and reduced systolic blood pressure in pre-adolescence might be weaker for African Americans compared to Whites, a difference that African American adolescents' higher body mass index can explain.

Research paper thumbnail of Number of Chronic Medical Conditions and Quality of Life of Ethnic Minority Older Adults

Geriatrics, Sep 29, 2022

Number of Chronic Medical Conditions and Quality of Life of Ethnic Minority Older Adults.