Neighborhood deprivation as a moderator for the relationship between negative affect and monocytes: data from the geospatial study of stress and cardiovascular health in the city

Authors

• EM Aquino Peterson
• MR Andrews
• SD Regan
• Y Baumer
• A Dave
• LR Ortiz-Whittingham
• AS Baez
• M Marah
• AL Wells
• LG Mendelsohn
• A Saurabh
• ST Reynolds
• S Hicks
• D Sandler
• S Sharda
• SM DeGuzman
• AT Redai
• K Tolentino
• K Tamura
• TM Powell-Wiley

Abstract

Neighborhood social environment (i.e., neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation [NSD]) and psychosocial factors (i.e., chronic stress) contribute to cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Little is known about the relationships between NSD, chronic stress, and monocytes. We examined relationships between daily negative affect (as a marker of emotional stress) and monocytes in healthy African American (AA) and White women living in Washington, D.C.
Participants enrolled in an observational study examining geospatial exposures, chronic stress, and CV health (NCT04014348). NSD was created using participants’ residential addresses and 2022 US census tract data for a deprivation index (higher score = higher deprivation). Negative affect was measured every evening over 14 days by ecological momentary assessment (EMA) via a mobile app. A mean score was calculated (higher score = higher negative affect). Monocyte percentages were recorded at the NIH. Multivariable linear regression, adjusting for BMI and race, determined relationships between negative affect and monocytes, with NSD examined as a moderator.
The study cohort comprised 42 women (age=29.3 ± 6.1, BMI=25.0 ± 3.9, AA: 36%). Negative affect was associated with monocytes (β=-2.9, p=0.017) when accounting for the interaction between negative affect and NSD (p-interaction for NSD=0.008). In the high NSD group, negative affect was positively associated with monocytes (β=0.47, p=0.04).
Higher negative affect was associated with lower monocytes in women living in Washington, D.C., and higher negative affect was related to higher monocytes in women living in deprived neighborhoods. Future work should investigate the role of disinvested neighborhoods in monocyte distribution and study these trends using novel EMA methods.

Scientific Focus Area: Health Disparities

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