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A Framework of Minority Stress: From Physiological Manifestations to Cognitive Outcomes
Forrester SN, Gallo JJ, Whitfield KE, Thorpe RJ.. The Gerontologist, 2019-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Cognitive impairment and dementia continue to threaten the aging population. Although no one is immune, certain groups, namely black older persons, are more likely to have a diagnosis of certain dementias. Because researchers have not found a purely biological reason for this disparity, they have turned to a biopsychosocial model. Specifically, black persons in the United States are more likely to live with social conditions that affect their stress levels which in turn affect physiological regulation leading to conditions that result in higher levels of cognitive impairment or dementia. Here we discuss some of these social conditions such as discrimination, education, and socioeconomic status, and how physiological dysregulation, namely allostatic load that can lead to cognitive impairment and dementia in black persons especially.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Forrester, S. N., Gallo, J. J., Whitfield, K. E., & Thorpe, R. J. (2019). A Framework of Minority Stress: From Physiological Manifestations to Cognitive Outcomes. The Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny104
Vancouver
Forrester SN, Gallo JJ, Whitfield KE, Thorpe RJ. A Framework of Minority Stress: From Physiological Manifestations to Cognitive Outcomes. The Gerontologist. 2019. doi:10.1093/geront/gny104. PMID: 30169640.
BibTeX
@article{forrester2019-30169640,
author = {Forrester, S. N. and Gallo, J. J. and Whitfield, K. E. and Thorpe, R. J.},
title = {{A Framework of Minority Stress: From Physiological Manifestations to Cognitive Outcomes}},
journal = {The Gerontologist},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1093/geront/gny104},
pmid = {30169640},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny104}
}
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Key findings
- Specifically, black persons in the United States are more likely to live with social conditions that affect their stress levels which in turn affect physiological regulation leading to conditions that result in higher levels of cognitive impairment or dementia.
Why it matters
This paper proposes that social conditions such as discrimination, education and socioeconomic status raise stress levels in black older persons, which can affect the body and lead to more cognitive impairment or dementia. It offers a framework for thinking about these pathways rather than testing a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Gerontologist) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Gerontologist: journal h-index 238 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 105 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 11.7 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 47 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Roland J. Thorpe: h-index 64 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30169640) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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