HypertensionCross-sectional study
Psychological Health, Polysocial Risk, and Cardiovascular Health Among Women of Reproductive Age
- cross-sectional analysis
Authors' conclusion
Psychological distress was associated with several adverse CVH risk factors independent of cumulative social disadvantage, supporting more comprehensive CVH risk assessment and prevention in women of reproductive age.
Study context
- Population
- Women of reproductive age enrolled in the SAFE HEART (Social Determinants of Hypertension Among Women of Reproductive Age) studywomen (mean age 30.87 ± 6.68 years)
- Participants
- 361 women
- Exposure
- Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress and adverse cardiovascular health (CVH) risk factors, adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, and polysocial risk score
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Psychological distress prevalence
- psychological distress was highly prevalent
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Smoking (depressive symptoms)
| Comparison | adjusted OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| depressive symptoms · strongest association | 4.71 (2.49–8.91) | |
| 0.10.31310Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking
- Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress were each associated with higher odds of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking
- after adjustment for age, race, and cumulative social disadvantage
Low physical activity, low fruit and vegetable intake, suboptimal sleep duration, and elevated body mass index
- not meaningfully associated with psychological health measures
CVH risk by continuous psychological health scores
- higher depressive, anxiety, and stress scores were associated with greater CVH risk, with the strongest gradient observed for depressive symptoms
Original publication
Psychological Health, Polysocial Risk, and Cardiovascular Health Among Women of Reproductive Age. JACC Adv. doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102796
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it