Sexual Identity, Adverse Life Experiences, and Cardiovascular Health in Women.
Billy A Caceres, Nina Markovic, Donald Edmondson and 1 others
PMID 31246631WHAT IT FOUND
Sexual minority women had lower cardiovascular health scores than heterosexual women.
This gap was driven by higher rates of tobacco use and obesity. Adverse life experiences like discrimination and abuse explained some, but not all, of these differences.
Key findings
01Sexual minority women reported significantly more discrimination and lifetime sexual abuse than heterosexual women.
02Sexual minority women had lower cumulative cardiovascular health scores, primarily due to poorer tobacco use and BMI metrics.
03Adjusting for adverse life experiences and psychosocial factors did not fully explain the disparity in tobacco use or BMI between groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study design is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that sexual minority status causes poor cardiovascular health. The sample was convenience-based, predominantly White, and highly educated, limiting generalizability to other racial or socioeconomic groups. The cardiovascular health score omitted the dietary component of the Life's Simple 7. Data were collected between 2003 and 2006, so current social and legal contexts may differ. The study only included cisgender women, excluding transgender women who may face unique health risks.
Declared interests
None declared. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that addressing discrimination and trauma alone will close the cardiovascular health gap. The study found that disparities in smoking and BMI persisted even after adjusting for these adverse life experiences, indicating that direct behavioral interventions are still necessary.