Josh Snodgrass – Page 2 – Undergraduate Research Symposium Abstracts

The Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE): Body Composition Measurements among Aging Populations

Presenter: Austin Wong

Mentors: Josh Snodgrass and Melissa Liebert, Anthropology

Poster: 65

Major: Biology

Frequently used as a predictor of obesity-related health risks, body mass index (BMI) estimates general adiposity instead of abdominal obesity, and does not distinguish between fat and lean mass. Further, previous research has found it is possible for adults to maintain a normal BMI, yet increase their waist circumference (WC) over time.

This makes BMI a less accurate predictor of cardiometabolic risk in older adults (/50 years old). While measures of central obesity have been found to be better indicators of cardiovascular disease than BMI, debate continues over the optimal measure of central adiposity. The current study uses data from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), a longitudinal study of nationally representative samples from older adults
in six middle income countries (China, Ghana, Mexico, India, Russian Federation, and South Africa). We examine associations among body composition measures (BMI, WC, waist-to-stature ratio, and body adiposity index) across age groups, sex, and country. Furthermore, this study investigates associations between body composition measures and hypertension. We hypothesize that: 1)abdominal obesity measures will increase with age groups but decrease in those over 80 years old, 2) stronger associations will be found between abdominal adiposity measurements and blood pressure, and 3) diverse associations will be found in the populations examined due to a variety of factors including diet, urbanization, and health care access.

Optimization of DNA Extraction from Dried Blood Spot Samples for Use in a Telomere Length Assay

Presenter: Devan Compton

Mentors: Kirstin Sterner and Josh Snodgrass, Anthropology

Poster: 13

Majors: Anthropology and Psychology

Telomere length (TL) is a marker of senescence, yet little is known about the specific factors that influence the performance of the TL assay. The World Health Organization’s study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) is investigating patterns of aging. As part of this study, dried blood spots (DBS) are being collected from adults in six countries in regions of different economic development. Before measuring TL, it is necessary to assess DNA quality obtained from DBS under various conditions. We tested if storing DBS at -20°C allows for recovery of optimal amounts of high-quality genomic DNA compared to -80°C. As DBS collected from finger pricks vary in size, we also considered the size of DBS (25uL vs. 50uL) to determine whether size affects the quality and quantity of the DNA extracted. Preliminary results indicate that 3.2mm (1/8”) punches from 50uL DBS yield nearly twice the amount of extractable DNA as 3.2mm punches from 25uL DBS. Additionally, DBS stored in a -80°C freezer yield approximately 47% more double-stranded DNA than DBS stored in a -20°C freezer. Lastly, we plan to determine the minimum quantity of DNA (three, four or six 3.2mm DBS punches) necessary to perform a successful TL assay. Methodological issues are key considerations in epidemiological research. This study will allow for optimal collection of DBS for DNA extraction as well as downstream use of the DNA in assays such as the TL assay.

Television Viewing, Lifestyle, and Cardiovascular Health among the Yakut (Sakha) of Northeastern Siberia

Presenter: Tyler Barrett

Mentors: Josh Snodgrass, Anthropology; Chris Chávez, Journalism

Oral Presentation

Majors: Anthropology/Media Studies

Culture change has been linked to heightened psychosocial stress among indigenous populations undergoing political-economic transitions, which increases cardiovascular disease risk. However, little is known about how specific aspects of culture change contribute to this relationship. While shifts in media content and exposure have been implicated as a contributing factor to chronic stress in transitioning populations, the relationship between media and cardiovascular health has not been fully examined in this context. The present study investigates links between a style of life (SOL) scale and blood pressure, as well as associations between television viewing hours and myocardial infarction and stroke among 306 Yakut (Sakha) adults (153 men, 153 women) from Berdygestiakh, Sakha Republic, Russia. After controlling for body composition, smoking, and alcohol consumption, SOL was positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among younger (18-49 years) men (P=0.009) and older (≥ 50 years) women (P=0.028) and showed a negative trend with DBP among older men (P=0.054). Further, greater television viewing hours was associated with an increased likelihood of previously experiencing stroke among older adults (P=0.010) and an increased likelihood of previously experiencing myocardial infarction among older men (P=0.047). The rapid change in television content that occurred alongside post-Soviet privatization makes media a particularly salient aspect of culture change among indigenous Siberians, and the present study suggests it may play a role in cardiovascular risk among the Yakut.

Physical Activity and Healthy in Older Adults in Rural and Peri-urban Uganda Using Accelerometry: The Results of a SAGE Sub-study

Presenter: Eliza Hallett

Co-Presenters: Joshua Schrock, Tara Cepon-Robins, Tyler Barrett, Paul Kowal

Faculty Mentor: Josh Snodgrass

Presentation Type: Poster 66

Primary Research Area: Science

Major: Biology, Spanish

Accelerometers can be less expensive than other methods of measuring energy expenditure (e.g., doubly-labeled water) and are small and unobtrusive to the participant. Although the popularity of accelerometers has increased, they have not been used frequently in non-western settings and in populations of older adults. A sub-study of the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) in Uganda in 2013 utilized accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X) to assess the larger question of the relationship between physical activity and health in older adults in a developing country. Seven consecutive days of accelerometry data was combined with self- reported activity levels, socioeconomic status, health status, and measures of physical functioning in 188 older adults in rural and peri-urban Uganda.

Preliminarily, we examined sex and age differences in average daily active energy expenditure (AEE) in a small subsample (28 women, 26 men). On average, women exhibited higher AEE (431.94 kcal/day) than men (298.26 kcal/ day) (t = -1.91, P=0.63). In addition, there was a negative correlation between age and AEE (r = -0.202, P=0.143). Although neither of these associations reached the threshold of P<0.05 for statistical significance, we are in the process of analyzing the entire n=188 subset and will present our findings at the symposium. With a larger sample to analyze it is likely that there will be a statistically significant relationship between physical activity and measures of health in this Ugandan population based on either age sub-category or sex differences between the male and female participants.

Examining Variables Associated With the Underdiagnoses Of Depression in Mexico

Presenter(s): Aida Goma Petit − Anthropology (Double Concentration In Biological Anthropology And Archaeology)

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass , Alicia DeLouize

Poster 95

Research Area: Anthropology, Global Health, Depression, Global Mental Health

Depression is a leading contributor to disease burden worldwide. Although there are known and effective treatments for depression, far fewer than half of those affected by the disease will receive treatment, in part due to barriers in health care access contributing to underdiagnosis. Using the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave 1 dataset, this study examines older adults (50+ years old) in Mexico (n = 1,725) to determine factors that may lead to depression as determined by a symptom-based algorithm, but not self-reported clinical depression diagnosis. We hypothesized that men were more likely to have depression without a self-reported clinical diagnosis. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was utilized to examine the effects of sex, age, education, wealth, marital status, social relationships, and residence location (urban vs. rural) on depression diagnosis. Model 1 showed that females were, in fact, more likely than males to have depression without a self-reported diagnosis (β= 0.60, p = 0.006), but age (β = 0.00, p = 0.71) was not significant.

In model 2, being female was still a significant predictor of depression without a diagnosis (β= 0.62, p = 0.007) despite controlling for lower education (β = -0.03, p = 0.005) and more difficulty with interpersonal relationships (β = 0.45, p < 0.001). Age, wealth, marital status, and residence location (urban/rural) were not associated with undiagnosed depression. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating gender differences, improving education, and ameliorating social barriers to provide proper diagnosis and care for depression.

Inflammation as a Mediator of Depression and Diabetes in the Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE)

Presenter(s): Allison Dona − General Science, Spanish

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass, Alicia DeLouize

Poster 62

Research Area: Natural Science

Funding: NIH NIA Interagency Agreement; Ministry of Health in Mexico; University of Oregon Bray Fellowship

Diabetes and depression are major global health concerns, affecting over 400 million and 300 million worldwide, respectively. Numerous studies have found that these diseases are commonly comorbid, suggesting the possibility of an underlying shared physiological process such as an inflammatory pathway. As a biomarker of inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP) has not been consistently linked to these conditions, despite the fact that diabetes and depression have both been linked to inflammatory mechanisms. This study uses Mexico Wave 1 data from the Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) to examine if CRP mediates the relationship between depression and diabetes risk. It is hypothesized that, in participants 50-plus, inflammation will mediate the effect between the two conditions. Depression was estimated using a behavior-based diagnostic algorithm, inflammation was assessed using dried blood spot (DBS) CRP, and diabetes risk was assessed using DBS glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The association between depression and diabetes risk was partially mediated by inflammation. The presence of depression is associated with increased CRP, which is associated with increased HbA1c. This suggests that inflammation may be associated with the comorbidity of depression and diabetes. This may be the first study to use a large sample of older adults in a middle-income nation with high-resolution biomarker information to investigate physiological processes that might be involved in both conditions, an understanding of which could lead to better treatments.

The under-diagnosis of diabetes and its associated risk factors in older adults from Mexico, China, and South Africa

Presenter(s): Mimi Hudson—Human Physiology

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass, Alicia DeLouize

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Underdiagnosis of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance is a problem in many parts of the world, despite the well-documented negative effects on health . The longer that diabetes goes undiagnosed, the worse these effects are and the more difficult they become to treat . Previous studies have shown that the increasing rates of type 2 diabetes globally are closely related to changes in lifestyle and socioeconomic status . It is those in poorer countries, along with the minority and disadvantaged groups in wealthy countries, that face the biggest risk . Although there is much information available on the increasing prevalence of diabetes, many studies fail to report the underdiagnosis rate (the rate of self-reported diabetes compared to the actual rate of diabetes, as measured by blood measures such as glucose or glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]) of diabetes . Biomarker and survey data on older adults (age ≥ 50) living in Mexico from Wave 1 of the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE; N = 12,945) were used to compare self-report diagnosed diabetes to measured HbA1c level available from dried blood spot samples . Results indicate that 7%, 10%, and 77% of participants had diabetes (HbA1c ≥ 6 .5%) yet had not been previously clinically diagnosed in China, Mexico, and South Africa respectively . Yet, 94% to 98% of people that had diabetes without a diagnosis reported receiving healthcare the last time they needed it . In all three countries, people that had diabetes without a diagnosis were more likely to rate their health as better than people with diabetes and a diagnosis (b’s = 0 .45 to 0 .80, p’s < .05) . In China and South Africa, people with smaller amounts of wealth (b’s = -1 .18 to -0 .96, p’s < .001) and people living in rural areas (b’s = 0 .57 to 0 .78, p’s < .001) were more likely to lack a diagnosis for diabetes . Other predictors include being male in South Africa (b = 0 .34, p = .02) and being younger in China (b = – .04, p < .001)

Health disparities faced by female caregivers when caring for older adults and children in middle-income countries

Presenter(s): Janae Houston—General Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Within the middle-income countries the older adult demographic increasing . Addressing the health of this population is a public health priority, given that older adults in middle income nations represent a significant portion of the world’s population . There is a large burden on caregivers in middle-income countries, so there needs to be further exploration of the relationship between caregiving and poor health . We evaluated female caregivers between the age of 18 and 114 (N = 15,975) responsible for

children or older adults in Ghana, South Africa, Mexico, Russia, and India . We tested the following hypotheses: 1) Caregiving will be associated with overall poorer health in all five countries; 2) difficulties associated with caregiving will be affiliated with overall worse self-reported health due
to less sustainable income, living in rural areas, and not being married . We found that between 4 .0 and 14 .3 percent of the people in each country are caregivers . . In most countries caregiving was associated with poor health, except Mexico (where caregiving was not associated with health) and Russia (where caregiving was positively associated with health; t’s = -1 .74 to 1 .90, p’s = .03 to .26) . Reported difficulties associated with caregiving were associated with poor health in caregivers in Ghana, India, and Russia (Î2’s = .09 to .27, p’s = < .001 to .45) . It was shown that having less wealth was a significant factor associated with poor health in caregivers across all nations except Ghana (Î2’s = -0 .26 to -0 .06, p’s = .01 to .03) . Understanding the relationship between caregiver difficulties and health across nations can improve the outcomes for this population globally .

Age-related and culturally specific causes of depression underdiagnosis among older adults: Results from the Study on global AGEing and adult health

Presenter(s): Joan Hicks—Psychology

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass

Session 5.5: McNair Scholars Presentations

Cultural competency should be prioritized when dealing with any issue surrounding mental health . Older adult populations are growing rapidly in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs) and depression is a neglected form of disability that is especially pronounced in older adults . The current study analyzes data among older adults collected in Wave 1 of the World Health Organization’s

Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) in order to examine the underlying factors related
to underdiagnosis of depression in Ghana, Mexico, India, China, South Africa, and Russia . These countries were compared to observe the societal and individual influences that lead to patterns
of depression diagnosis . We test two hypotheses: 1) lower rates of underdiagnosis of depression being associated with easily accessed and utilized healthcare facilities; and 2) the underdiagnosis of depression being associated with higher levels of stigma . Functional quality of life was a consistent predictor of the underdiagnosis of depression in all countries tested (B’s = 0 .02 to 0 .04, p’s < 0 .001) . Other predictors of underdiagnosis varied greatly by country but include age (p’s < 0 .05 in China and Russia), gender (p’s< 0 .05 in China and India), income (p’s < 0 .05 in China and India), memory status (p’s < 0 .05 in China and India), healthcare quality (p’s < 0 .05 in India and Ghana), social cohesion (p’s< 0 .05 in Mexico, India, and Ghana), and stigma (p’s < 0 .05 in India and Ghana) . Both age-related stressors and cultural differences should be taken into account when addressing the underdiagnosis and, therefore, treatment of depression .

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