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The length of telomeres (the repetitive sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes) has been associated with physical and social well-being, with shorter length tied to worse outcomes. The effect of specific types of father loss on telomere length has not been explored.
Researchers collected DNA (by salivary sample) from a birth cohort of nearly 2500 nine-year-olds living in 20 large U.S. cities. Parents were interviewed within 48 hours of birth, then at ages 1, 3, 5, and 9 years. Telomere length was analyzed by three types of father loss: death, incarceration, and separation/divorce. Covariates included income changes, sex, race/ethnicity, and gene variants in serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways (known to moderate the relationship betwee…