Neighborhood Disadvantage and Telomere Length: Results from the Fragile Families Study. Author Douglas Massey, Brandon Wagner, Louis Donnelly, Sara McLanahan, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Irwin Garfinkel, Colter Mitchell, Daniel Notterman Publication Year 2018 Type Journal Article Abstract Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences located at the ends of chromosomes that protect genetic material. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to analyze the relationship between exposure to spatially concentrated disadvantage and telomere length for white and black mothers. We find that neighborhood disadvantage is associated with shorter telomere length for mothers of both races. This finding highlights a potential mechanism through which the unique spatially concentrated disadvantage faced by African Americans contributes to racial health disparities. We conclude that equalizing the health and socioeconomic status of black and white Americans will be very difficult without reducing levels of residential segregation in the United States. Journal RSF Volume 4 Issue 4 Pages 28-42 Date Published 2018 Apr ISSN Number 2377-8253 DOI 10.7758/RSF.2018.4.4.02 Alternate Journal RSF PMCID PMC6046089 PMID 30019006 PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle ScholarBibTeXEndNote X3 XML