Purpose
This study aimed to provide an overview of telomere length (TL) as an emerging biomarker in adult healthcare. Additionally, some measurement considerations and future directions for its application in adult nursing research were described. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted. Results TL is a widely known indicator of aging and aging-related diseases at the molecular level. Throughout the literature, TL has been established as a useful biomarker that is indicative of aging-related diseases such as cancer, metabolic diseases, and psychological distress and their resulting health conditions. The main pathway of TL shortening appears as an interaction between genetic and environmental factors through a mechanism commonly known as oxidative stress and inflammation. TL attrition may be slowed down, stopped, or even lengthened by interventions such as mindfulness, meditation, exercise, lifestyle modifications, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which have been demonstrated to have a positive effect on TL. As these interventions have been widely applied in adult nursing research, the value and scope of adult nursing science can be expanded by using TL in such research. Conclusion TL has been shown to be associated with age-related diseases, which are mainly studied in adult nursing research. Therefore, it is necessary to explore various nursing phenomena using TL as a biomarker through adult nursing research and to develop nursing interventions that have a positive effect on TL.

Citations

• A biobehavioral theoretical framework based on the mechanism of cellular aging for nursing interventions to promote autonomic balance
  Nahyun Kim, Jooyeon Park
  Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science.2024; 26(2): 99.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study aimed to synthesize evidence for the association of psychological stress with Telomere Length (TL)-a potential biomarker of cellular aging. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify eligible studies in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and CINHAL. In this review, we included all papers published since the initiative's inception and summarized results as of March 2022. Studies that investigated subjective stress using questionnaires and objective stress using biomarkers of adults (aged≥18 years) were included. Ultimately, 20 studies met our selection criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Fifteen of the twenty studies (75.0%) reported that individuals with higher psychological stress levels had shorter TL. Eleven of sixteen studies (68.8%) measuring subjective stress and five of eight studies (62.5%) measuring objective stress showed significant associations of psychological stress with TL. However, five studies reported no association between psychological stress and TL shortening. Although the heterogeneous studies limited the ability to draw clear conclusions, it is suggested that psychological stress might accelerate the erosion of telomere ends.
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that TL could be a useful emerging biomarker for measuring stress-related health outcomes in nursing. Further large-scale longitudinal studies using TL as a genetic biomarker with multidimensional stress measurements are needed to investigate the association between psychological stress and cellular senescence.

Citations

• A biobehavioral theoretical framework based on the mechanism of cellular aging for nursing interventions to promote autonomic balance
  Nahyun Kim, Jooyeon Park
  Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science.2024; 26(2): 99.     CrossRef
• The Understanding and Application of Telomere Length as an Emerging Biomarker in Adult Nursing Research: A Review
  Seolbin Han, Jihee Min, Dae-Kwang Kim, In Deok Kong, Nahyun Kim
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2023; 35(1): 1.     CrossRef