How childhood socioeconomic conditions affect health throughout life
Epigenetic Pathways of Socioeconomic Disparities in Physical and Cognitive Health Across the Lifespan
This study is looking at how growing up in low-income families affects kids' health over time, and it wants to see if giving cash support to mothers can help improve their children's health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159445 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates the long-term effects of growing up in low-income households on physical and cognitive health. It aims to understand how childhood environments influence health outcomes across a person's lifespan by examining DNA methylation patterns as a biological link. By integrating these biological markers into a randomized controlled trial, the study will explore whether providing unconditional cash transfers to low-income mothers can improve health outcomes for their children. This approach seeks to provide real-time insights into the impact of socioeconomic factors on health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include children from low-income households and their mothers.
Not a fit: Patients who do not come from low-income backgrounds may not receive direct benefits from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to effective interventions that improve health outcomes for children from low-income families.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in using DNA methylation as a tool for understanding health disparities, but this specific approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Austin, United States
- University of Texas at Austin — Austin, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harden, Kathryn Paige — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Harden, Kathryn Paige
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.