Browsing by Author "de Dios, Marcel A."

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    Socioeconomic disparities in health: Changes in sleep quality and inflammation during bereavement
    (Elsevier, 2021) Wu, E. Lydia; Brown, Ryan L.; Chirinos, Diana A.; Chen, Michelle A.; de Dios, Marcel A.; Taylor, Daniela M.; Butner, Jonathan E.; Heijnen, Cobi J.; Fagundes, Christopher P.
    Widow(er)s experience significant sleep disruption that may dysregulate immune functioning. This longitudinal study aimed to determine 1) whether changes in sleep quality were associated with changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine production during the first six months of bereavement and 2) whether these relationships depended on objective socioeconomic status (SES) and/or subjective social status. One hundred and six bereaved spouses (M ​= ​68.49 years, SD ​= ​9.35, 69 females) completed the following assessments at approximately three months post-death and six-month post-death: a venous blood draw and self-report questionnaires on sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), SES (MacArthur Sociodemographic Questionnaire), health, and demographic information. T-cell stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokines were assessed, including IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17A, and IL-2. Worsening sleep quality was associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory activity even after adjusting for confounding variables. The present study also identified SES as an important factor for understanding health following spousal bereavement: individuals with low SES were more susceptible to sleep-related changes in immune function. Compared to more educated widow(er)s, less educated widow(er)s showed greater increases and decreases in inflammation when sleep quality worsened or improved, respectively, over time. Findings provide evidence for a biobehavioral pathway linking bereavement to disease risk, highlight SES disparities in late adulthood, and identify individuals who may require tailored interventions to offset SES-related burden that impedes adaptive grief recovery.
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    Socioeconomic disparities in health: Changes in sleep quality and inflammation during bereavement
    (Elsevier, 2021) Wu, E. Lydia; Brown, Ryan L.; Chirinos, Diana A.; Chen, Michelle A.; de Dios, Marcel A.; Taylor, Daniela M.; Butner, Jonathan E.; Heijnen, Cobi J.; Fagundes, Christopher P.; National Science Foundation, Award #1853936
    Widow(er)s experience significant sleep disruption that may dysregulate immune functioning. This longitudinal study aimed to determine 1) whether changes in sleep quality were associated with changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine production during the first six months of bereavement and 2) whether these relationships depended on objective socioeconomic status (SES) and/or subjective social status. One hundred and six bereaved spouses (M ​= ​68.49 years, SD ​= ​9.35, 69 females) completed the following assessments at approximately three months post-death and six-month post-death: a venous blood draw and self-report questionnaires on sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), SES (MacArthur Sociodemographic Questionnaire), health, and demographic information. T-cell stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokines were assessed, including IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17A, and IL-2. Worsening sleep quality was associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory activity even after adjusting for confounding variables. The present study also identified SES as an important factor for understanding health following spousal bereavement: individuals with low SES were more susceptible to sleep-related changes in immune function. Compared to more educated widow(er)s, less educated widow(er)s showed greater increases and decreases in inflammation when sleep quality worsened or improved, respectively, over time. Findings provide evidence for a biobehavioral pathway linking bereavement to disease risk, highlight SES disparities in late adulthood, and identify individuals who may require tailored interventions to offset SES-related burden that impedes adaptive grief recovery.
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    Sociosexual domains as mediators of the relationship between trait depression and sexual risk: A serial mediation analysis in a sample of Iranian American adults
    (Elsevier, 2022) Torbati, Autena; Ullrich, Helen S.; Cano, Miguel À.; Essa, Saman; Harvey, Laura; Arbona, Consuelo; Vaughan, Ellen L.; Majd, Marzieh; Fagundes, Chris; de Dios, Marcel A.
    Background The current study examined sociosexual attitudes and desires as mediators of the relationship between trait depression and sexual risk behaviors (SRB). Method Iranian Americans (n = 152) were recruited and path analyses tested a serial mediation model including the direct and indirect effects of trait depression levels on SRB. Results Trait depression had a significant, indirect effect on SRB through sociosexual attitudes and desires scores, with an indirect effect estimate -.02, SE = 0.01, 95% CI [-0.05, -0.04]. Limitations Study limitations included the use of self-report measures and the lack of longitudinal data. Conclusions Increased levels of trait depression were associated with more unrestricted sociosexual attitudes and desires which, in turn, led to greater levels of sexual risk behaviors. The study findings can serve to inform sexual health interventions for Iranian American adults.