Social, Environmental Adversities Increase Risk for Heart Disease, Stroke

FRIDAY, March 29, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- People who live in areas with social and environmental adversities have an increased risk for developing heart disease and stroke, according to a study published online March 27 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Sumanth Khadke, M.D., from Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts, and colleagues examined the combined effect of social and environmental exposure on cardiovascular risks. The 2022 Environmental Justice Index, socio-environmental justice index, and environmental burden module ranks of census tracts were all used in the analysis.

The researchers found that compared with quartile 1, quartile 4 of the Environmental Justice Index was associated with a higher rate of coronary artery disease (rate ratio [RR], 1.684) and stroke (RR, 2.112). In addition, coronary artery disease (RR, 1.143) and stroke (RR, 1.118) were significantly higher in quartile 4 versus quartile 1 of the environmental burden module. Similar results were seen for chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, lack of health insurance, sleep less than seven hours per night, no leisure time physical activity, and impaired mental and physical health for more than 14 days in the past month.

"The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors is highly associated with increased social and environmental adversities, and environmental exposure plays an important role independent of social factors," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text