The researchers have discovered a correlation between unemployment, lack of health insurance, lower education levels beyond high school, inadequate sleep, and an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. The study, focusing on Asian Americans, including Asian Indian adults, was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. It revealed that the connection between these adverse social determinants of health and cardiovascular disease risk factors varied significantly among different subgroups of people.
However, the research team emphasized that correlation does not imply causation; these social determinants of health are not directly responsible for the risk factor.
The study included data from 6,395 adults who identified themselves as Asian, with Asian Indian adults comprising 22 percent of the sample. Among Asian Indian adults, there was a 20 percent likelihood of experiencing suboptimal sleep and a 42 percent higher likelihood of insufficient physical activity, both of which are significant risk factors for heart disease.
The analysis also indicated that among all Asian groups, a higher score for unfavorable social determinants of health was associated with a 14 percent greater risk of high blood pressure, a 17 percent greater risk of poor sleep, and a 24 percent greater risk of Type 2 diabetes. These conditions significantly increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
Lead author Eugene Yang, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, highlighted the interconnected nature of many social determinants of health, such as neighborhood cohesion, economic stability, and healthcare system utilization. He stressed the importance of understanding why differences in cardiovascular risk exist among Asian subgroups to mitigate risk and improve health outcomes, especially considering the higher rates of premature heart disease and cardiovascular mortality observed among people of South Asian heritage globally
