03 April,2024 04:12 PM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Image for representational purposes only. Photo Courtesy: iStock
Researchers have found an association between people who are unemployed, uninsured or do not have education beyond high school, lack of proper sleep and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study on Asian Americans, including Asian Indian adults, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that the link between these unfavourable social determinants of health variables and cardiovascular disease risk factors varied widely among people in different subgroups.
However, the team researchers said that an association does not mean that social determinants of health directly caused the risk factor.
For the data, the team included data on 6,395 adults who self-identified as Asian. Of these, 22 per cent were Asian Indian adults.
ALSO READ
Prolonged exposure to arsenic in drinking water may up heart disease risk
Delhi air pollution: Doctors report 30 per cent rise in asthma, COPD cases
Loneliness increases risk of dementia by over 30 per cent, suggest studies
Diphtheria kills seven children in Rajasthan: Know all about this deadly disease
Expert shares tips to ensure optimal health during menopause
Asian Indian adults reported a 20 per cent likelihood of suboptimal sleep; and a 42 per cent increased likelihood of insufficient physical activity -- major risk factors for heart disease.
The analysis also found that for all Asian groups, "a higher unfavourable social determinant of health score by one standardised unit was associated with a 14 per cent greater risk of high blood pressure; a 17 per cent greater risk of poor sleep; and a 24 per cent greater risk of Type 2 diabetes -- all of which increase the risk for developing cardiovascular disease."
Lead author Eugene Yang, Professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle said: "Many social determinants of health are often interconnected, such as neighbourhood cohesion, economic stability and use of the health care system."
"People of South Asian heritage have higher rates of premature heart disease globally, and they recently have been found to have higher cardiovascular mortality than non-Hispanic white people. A better understanding of why differences in cardiovascular risk exist among Asian subgroups is vital to reducing risk and improving outcomes," Yang said.