Migrant and Multi-generational Immigrant Experiences: The Effects of Stressors on Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Health-related Outcomes

Immigrant populations may have different experiences than those who have been living in the United States for generations, including educational and work related stressors. Some populations experience both economic and non-economic stressors in the US. Paradoxically, some immigrant populations generally have better health outcomes than subsequent US-born generations. Recent research indicates that individual experiences and stress exposures translate into physical changes to biological systems. For example, elevated stressors, such as those caused by violence, can result in shortened chromosome telomeres. Telomere shortening is considered a marker of cellular aging, and contributes to earlier development of age-related diseases, such as heart disease. Resources, such as strong social support and religious beliefs, may buffer the negative impact of the stressors. The variation in lived experiences of first- and second-generation immigrants and migrants, as well as differential cumulative stress may be evident in biological markers, such as telomere length and DNA methylation, allowing for a deeper understanding of the etiology of persistent health differences. The goal of this study is to determine how immigrant experiences influence individuals’ short- and long-term behavioral, psychological, and physical health outcomes. This study will compare the experiences among first- and second-generation immigrants and migrants living in North Carolina. We will conduct and analyze 60 semi-structured, in-depth interviews, subsequently administer closed-ended interviews with 375 first- and second-generation immigrants and migrants, and collect a peripheral blood sample to analyze telomere length and DNA methylation. This data will enable us to (1) identify commonalities and differences among first- and second-generation and migrants’ experiences, using a qualitative data collection and analysis approach, (2) examine the association between first- and second-generation and migrants’ experiences and behavioral, psychological, and physical outcomes using a quantitative analytics approach, and (3) determine if measures of biological age, as measured by telomere length and DNA methylation, are associated with generation of immigration or immigrant/migrant category and physical and emotional health. This project is significant because it will enable us to examine immigration is a unique life event and presents a unique set of stressors. The paradoxical relationship between first- and second-generation immigrants and health outcomes suggests that the immigrant experience contributes to these differences. This project is designed to identify the stressors involved in immigration as well as protective buffers, and potentially the biological mechanisms they target, with the potential goal of identifying strategies to improve overall behavioral, psychological, and physical health.