Social support, psychosocial risks, and cardiovascular health: Using harmonized data from the Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Jee Won Park; Chanelle J. Howe; Laura A. Dionne; Matthew M. Scarpaci; Belinda L. Needham; Mario Sims; Alka M. Kanaya; Namratha R. Kandula; Joseph L. Fava; Eric B. Loucks; Charles B. Eaton; Akilah J. Dulin

SSM: Population Health (Dec 2022)

Social support, psychosocial risks, and cardiovascular health: Using harmonized data from the Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Jee Won Park,
Chanelle J. Howe,
Laura A. Dionne,
Matthew M. Scarpaci,
Belinda L. Needham,
Mario Sims,
Alka M. Kanaya,
Namratha R. Kandula,
Joseph L. Fava,
Eric B. Loucks,
Charles B. Eaton,
Akilah J. Dulin

Affiliations

Jee Won Park: Center for Epidemiologic Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Program in Epidemiology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
Chanelle J. Howe: Center for Epidemiologic Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
Laura A. Dionne: Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity Research, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
Matthew M. Scarpaci: Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
Belinda L. Needham: Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Mario Sims: Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
Alka M. Kanaya: Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Namratha R. Kandula: Department of Internal Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Joseph L. Fava: Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity Research, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
Eric B. Loucks: Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity Research, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
Charles B. Eaton: Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Family Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
Akilah J. Dulin: Center for Epidemiologic Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity Research, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Corresponding author. Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity Research, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Box G-S121-8, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 20
p. 101284

Abstract

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Purpose: Social support may have benefits on cardiovascular health (CVH). CVH is evaluated using seven important metrics (Life's Simple 7; LS7) established by the American Heart Association (e.g., smoking, diet). However, evidence from longitudinal studies is limited and inconsistent. The objective of this study is to examine the longitudinal relationship between social support and CVH, and assess whether psychosocial risks (e.g., anger and stress) modify the relationship in a racially/ethnically diverse population. Methods: Participants from three harmonized cohort studies – Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis – were included. Repeated-measures modified Poisson regression models were used to examine the overall relationship between social support (in tertiles) and CVH (LS7 metric), and to assess for effect modification by psychosocial risk. Results: Among 7724 participants, those with high (versus low) social support had an adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for ideal or intermediate (versus poor) CVH of 0.99 (0.96–1.03). For medium (versus low) social support, the aPR (95% CI) was 1.01 (0.98–1.05). There was evidence for modification by employment and anger. Those with medium (versus low) social support had an aPR (95% CI) of 1.04 (0.99–1.10) among unemployed or low anger participants. Corresponding results for employed or high anger participants were 0.99 (0.94–1.03) and 0.97 (0.91–1.03), respectively. Conclusion: Overall, we observed no strong evidence for an association between social support and CVH. However, some psychosocial risks may be modifiers. Prospective studies are needed to assess the social support-CVH relationship by psychosocial risks in racially/ethnically diverse populations.

Published in SSM: Population Health

ISSN: 2352-8273 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine; Social Sciences: Social sciences (General)
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/ssm-population-health/

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