Associations between emotional support and cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-age

• Objective: To test the hypothesis of low emotional support being associated with lifestyle and biomedical cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, estimated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality, and subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged healthy adults.Methods and measures: Cross-sectional data were obtained from participants aged 40–60 years who had one or more conventional CVD risk factor. They underwent assessment based on questionnaires, clinical examination, blood sampling, and carotid ultrasound of plaque formation and carotid intima-media wall thickness (cIMT). Based on the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction, the participants were categorised as either low in emotional support (n = 884) or as a referent (n = 2570). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to study the associations.Results: Logistic regression analyses showed that low emotional support was significantly associated with smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity (OR = 1.53 − 1.94), estimated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality (OR = 1.56 − 1.68), and plaque formation (OR = 1.39). No significant associations were found regarding biomedical CVD risk factors or cIMT.Conclusion: The findings suggest that low social support is associated with lifestyle CVD risk factors, estimated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality, and subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged healthy adults, encouraging causal evaluation with longitudinal data investigating an impact of emotional support on mechanisms underlying CVD.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cardiovascular disease

cardiovascular risk score

carotid artery plaque

carotid vascular ultrasound

social support

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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