In our research, we sought to uncover the link between early and adult life experiences of racial, economic, and environmental injustices and their subsequent impact on biological aging. Through blood samples, we measured epigenetic age, a determinant of health and predictor of mortality, and we found significant associations between these injustices and accelerated aging, indicating that socio-environmental disparities deeply affect health outcomes over a lifetime.
The findings reveal that individuals with higher exposure to racial, economic, and environmental injustices exhibit patterns of accelerated aging, suggesting that societal structures not only frame the context of living conditions but can biologically influence health. For instance, those born in regions with historical discrimination showed marked differences in their epigenetic aging, reinforcing the notion that systemic injustices create long-term health consequences.
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