Disparities and protective factors in pandemic-related mental health outcomes: a Louisiana-based study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide-ranging impact on mental health. Diverse populations experienced the pandemic differently, highlighting pre-existing inequalities and creating new challenges in recovery. Understanding the effects across diverse populations and identifying protective factors is crucial for guiding future pandemic preparedness.

Epigenetic Age Acceleration and Disparities in Posttraumatic Stress in Women in Southeast Louisiana: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program.

Importance: Disasters experienced by an entire community provide opportunities to understand individual differences in risk for adverse health outcomes over time. DNA methylation (DNAm) differences may help to distinguish individuals at increased risk following large-scale disasters.

Objective: To examine the association of epigenetic age acceleration with probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PTSD symptom severity in women.