Stress and Mortality Among Black Men

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PROJECT SUMMARY Black men age-adjusted mortality rate in 2014 was 21.1 percent higher than white men. While several factors have been hypothesized to account for these differences, stress has been noted as a key determinant of Black men's health. Because of its unique position at the nexus of social factors; psychological coping; and the associated physiologic response, stress is an ideal pathway for understanding health disparities. However, stress and its downstream consequences have received relatively little attention as it relates to Black men's mortality. Over the last four years, I having been building a program of research examining social, behavioral and economic determinants of Black men's health which serves as a foundation for this mid-career Independent Scientist (K02) award application. I have two immediate career objectives. First, I want to advance my career by integrating biomarker and genetic data into my existing research portfolio to better understand the basic mechanisms of Black men's stress, and mortality (Aim 1). Second, I want to apply the biopsychosocial model for explaining links between stress and mortality in Black men (Aim 2). My long-term career objective is to establish a national network of scholars who share similar research interest and create a center on men's health and aging (Aim 3). The K02 mechanism would provide me the protected time to achieve my immediate and long-term career goals. To assist in accomplishing my aims, I will be supported by an interdisciplinary group of world renown scholars who work spans a variety of fields including health of Black Americans, biology of stress, inflammation, cognition, biomarker data, longitudinal data, mortality, gerontology and geriatrics. Further I have the support of the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The proposed research and training activities have the potential to propel me from being a mid-career scientist to an independent investigator in the area of Black Men's Health and mortality. Findings from the K02 will be used to inform subsequent research objectives to address unique risks associated with health and functional outcomes to inform policy makers of the evidence for the development of policy relevant solutions for Black men. My ability to conduct high level research and effectively collaborate positions me to take full advantage of what the K02 mechanism offers.