Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Allostatic load (AL) is an emerging and modifiable risk factor for all-causes of death. It is the combined "wear and tear" on the body from prolonged stress, which may include both physical and mental stress factors. Over time, these combined effects can increase the risk of many different diseases. For example, higher AL increases the risk of death by 22% overall, 33% for cardiovascular deaths, and 14% for cancer deaths. Factors such as physical contaminants like air pollution and low socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and other stressors can increase AL. Trauma passed down through generations is also positively associated with AL, which provides a mechanism for the impact of intergenerational trauma (IGT) on health and well-being. Previous research has not fully accounted for the role of combined stressors on AL. Studying the impact of long-term stress through AL can reveal ways to improve public health. IGT offers a helpful model to explore how different factors contribute to death. This project aims to examine the role of combined different chronic psychological and physiological stressors in facilitating the relationship between AL and IGT. Data will be gathered using an online survey, followed by the measurement of AL with nine biological markers in Waterloo Region. To assess the role of air pollution factors, ten years of Air Quality Index data from the Canadian Urban Environmental Research Consortium (CANUE) will be utilized. Data will be analyzed to measure the relative contribution of various stressors to the burden of AL in relation to IGT. This study will provide evidence to guide policies aimed at breaking cycles of trauma. It will also shed light on how long-term stress leads to AL, supporting the need for policies that promote health equity.