How Does Social Inequality Get Under the Skin? Epigenetic Pathways Across Development
Children growing up in low-income households are at increased risk for poorer physical and mental health across the life course. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, have been proposed as one biological pathway through which socioeconomic inequalities in childhood may become embedded and influence later-life health. In this talk, I will present findings from our studies examining associations between early socioeconomic inequality and DNA methylation. In addition, drawing on evidence from a randomized controlled trial of unconditional monthly cash transfers in the United States, we examined whether reductions in poverty have causal effects on the epigenome. These findings are discussed in the broader context of early-life inequality and the emergence of health disparities across development.
