Doctoral Dissertation Research: Perception of water insecurity and epigenetic signatures of stress

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Water insecurity is a worldwide problem and can be a major stressor that negatively impacts mental and physical health. Despite this burden, the connections between perceived water insecurity, psychological stress, and biological responses are not well understood. This doctoral dissertation project incorporates a biocultural approach to examine whether objective and/or perceived water insecurity are socio-environmental exposures that impact human biology. The study focuses on the experiences of women who often must cope with the burden of water insecurity, examining relationships between stress, resource insecurity and health that may be variable and mediated by culturally specific practices. The project findings may aid in the development of future policies addressing environmental and social inequality. Results from this research are shared with national and international communities through outreach activities, which strengthens international collaborations and can inform future studies exploring the short and long-term effects of resource insecurity. This study builds upon biocultural studies of embodiment and health, proposing that the subjective perception of resource insecurity, in this case water insecurity, and the practices derived from it are key factors contributing to health disparities. This project investigates the connections between perceived water insecurity, psychological stress, and DNA methylation in stress-related genes by comparing women from water-secure and water-insecure neighborhoods in a rapidly growing megacity. Perceived water insecurity and perceived stress are gauged using interview questionnaires. Saliva samples are collected to measure DNA methylation in stress-related genes. This mixed-methods approach can provide a critical biocultural understanding of the extent to which perception, anticipation, or fear of water insecurity may impact mental and physical health.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.