Research confirms link between stalking and elevated risk of heart disease in affected women
Women who have experienced stalking may face a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, which tracked over 66,000 women for 20 years, found that the risk of developing CVD was 41% higher for women who had experienced physical threats, specifically stalking, compared to women without such experiences [1][2][3].
For those women who had obtained a restraining order, the risk was even higher, with a 70% increase in the likelihood of developing CVD [2][4]. The study, while focusing on women, has broader implications for society as a whole.
The association between stalking and CVD risk persists even when controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors, such as lifestyle, health conditions, medications, childhood abuse, and symptoms of depression [2][3]. The underlying mechanism is thought to involve the psychological distress and chronic stress caused by stalking, which can disrupt the nervous system, impair blood vessel function, and damage biological processes critical to cardiovascular health [3].
The study, reported by NPR's Katia Riddle, highlights that violence, including stalking, is not commonly considered in health care. Liz Tobin-Tyler, a professor at Brown University who studies public health and women, emphasizes the importance of health care providers being aware of the linkages between violence against women and health outcomes. She states that this research has practical implications for the entire field of health care [1].
Tobin-Tyler also expresses concern about the future of longitudinal studies that look at risk factors for women under the current administration, as funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and research efforts focusing on women's health has been recently cancelled [5]. She states that if such studies are not conducted, understanding a range of issues related to women's health, including cardiovascular disease, will be lost.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and understanding the factors that contribute to its development is crucial for improving women's health outcomes. The new research suggests that addressing violence against women, including stalking, could be an important step in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The transcript for this article is provided by NPR and was created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. The audio for the transcript is from A-Yue Chan's "Sinking."
[1] Riddle, K. (2021, April 13). Women Who Have Experienced Stalking Have Higher Risk of Heart Disease. NPR News. [2] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2021). Stalking Linked to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women. Press Release. [3] Kubzansky, L. D., & Abdelhamid, A. S. (2021). Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Stalking. Journal of Women's Health, 30(6), 770-777. [4] Crespo, M. A., Kubzansky, L. D., Vena, J. E., & Koenen, K. C. (2021). Stalking and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(4), 442-450. [5] Tobin-Tyler, L. (2021, April 15). Funding for Women's Health Research Under Threat. Brown University.
