Latent constructs in psychosocial factors associated with cardiovascular disease: an examination by race and sex

Association Between Insomnia, Stress Events, and Other Psychosocial Factors and Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Postmenopausal Women: Insights From the Women's Health Initiative

Background The association between psychosocial factors and atrial fibrillation (AF) is poorly understood. Methods and Results Postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative were retrospectively analyzed to identify incident AF in relation to a panel of validated psychosocial exposure variables, as assessed by multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression and hierarchical cluster analysis. Among the 83 736 women included, the average age was 63.9±7.0 years. Over an average of 10.5±6.2 years follow-up, there were 23 954 cases of incident AF. Hierarchical cluster analysis generated 2 clusters of highly correlated psychosocial variables: the Stress Cluster included stressful life events, depressive symptoms, and insomnia, and the Strain Cluster included optimism, social support, social strain, cynical hostility, and emotional expressiveness. Incident AF was associated with higher values in the Stress Cluster (hazard ratio [HR], 1.07 per unit cluster score [95% CI, 1.05-1.09]) and the Strain Cluster (HR, 1.03 per unit cluster score [95% CI, 1.00-1.05]). Of the 8 individual psychosocial predictors that were tested, insomnia (HR, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.03-1.06]) and stressful life events (HR, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.01-1.04]) were most strongly associated with increased incidence of AF in Cox regression analysis after multivariate adjustment. Subgroup analyses showed that the Strain Cluster was more strongly associated with incident AF in those with lower traditional AF risks (P for interaction=0.02) as determined by the cohorts for heart and aging research in genomic epidemiology for atrial fibrillation score. Conclusions Among postmenopausal women, 2 clusters of psychosocial stressors were found to be significantly associated with incident AF. Further research is needed to validate these associations.

Psychosocial profiles and longitudinal achievement of optimal cardiovascular risk factor levels: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study

Psychosocial factors are associated with the achievement of optimal cardiovascular disease risk factor (CVDRF) levels. To date, little research has examined multiple psychosocial factors simultaneously to identify distinguishing psychosocial profiles among individuals with CVDRF. Further, it is unknown whether profiles are associated with achievement of CVDRF levels longitudinally. Therefore, we characterized psychosocial profiles of individuals with CVDRF and assessed whether they are associated with achievement of optimal CVDRF levels over 15 years. We included 1148 CARDIA participants with prevalent hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and/or diabetes mellitus in 2000-2001. Eleven psychosocial variables reflecting psychological health, personality traits, and social factors were included. Optimal levels were deemed achieved if: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) < 7.0%, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol < 100 mg/dl, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 140 mm Hg. Latent profile analysis revealed three psychosocial profile groups "Healthy", "Distressed and Disadvantaged" and "Discriminated Against". There were no significant differences in achievement of CVDRF levels of the 3 targets combined across profiles. Participants in the "Distressed and Disadvantaged" profile were less likely to meet optimal HbA1c levels compared to individuals in the "Healthy" profile after demographic adjustment. Associations were attenuated after full covariate adjustment. Distinct psychosocial profiles exist among individuals with CVDRF, representing meaningful differences. Implications for CVDRF management are discussed.

Choice of measure matters: A study of the relationship between socioeconomic status and psychosocial resources in a middle-aged normal population

Psychosocial resources may serve as an important link to explain socioeconomic differences in health. Earlier studies have demonstrated that education, income and occupational status cannot be used interchangeably as indicators of a hypothetical latent social dimension. In the same manner, it is important to disentangle the effect of measuring different constructs of psychosocial resources. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse if associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and psychosocial resources differ depending on the measures used. A cross-sectional population-based study of a random sample (n = 1007) of middle-aged individuals (45-69 years old, 50% women) in Sweden was performed using questionnaire and register data. SES was measured as education, occupation, household income and self-rated economy. Psychosocial resources were measured as social integration, social support, mastery, self-esteem, sense of coherence (SOC) and trust. Logistic regression models were applied to analyse the relationships controlling for the effects of possible confounders. The measures of SES were low or moderately correlated to each other as were the measures of psychosocial resources. After controlling for age, sex, country of birth and employment status, household income and self-rated economy were associated with all six psychosocial resources; occupation was associated with three (social integration, self-esteem and trust) and education with two (social integration and self-esteem). Social integration and self-esteem showed a significant and graded relationship with all SES measures; trust was associated with all SES measures except education, whereas SOC and mastery were only associated with household income and self-rated economy. After controlling for other SES measures, no associations with psychosocial resources remained for education or occupation. In conclusion, associations between SES and psychosocial resources did differ depending on the measures used. The findings illustrate the importance of the choice of measure when investigating SES as well as psychosocial resources.

Socioeconomic status, psychological resources, and inflammatory markers: Results from the MIDUS study

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to investigate interactions of psychological resources and socioeconomic status (SES)-as well as potential gender differences and the explanatory role of childhood and adult stress exposures, health behaviors, and negative and positive affect-in predicting markers of systemic inflammation.

METHOD

We utilized a sample of adults from the Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS) study who provided biomarker data (N = 1,152). SES was operationalized as a composite of education, income, and occupational prestige, and the psychological resources construct was operationalized as a latent factor measured with optimism, perceived control, and self-esteem. Linear regression models examined these 2 factors and their interaction in predicting interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) measured on average 2 years later, as well as 3-way interactions involving gender and the impact of covariate adjustment.

RESULTS

Psychological resources interacted with SES in men (for IL-6: p < .001; for CRP: p = .04) but not in women. In men, greater psychological resources was associated with lower concentrations of IL-6 at lower levels of SES but higher concentrations of both markers at higher levels of SES. The inverse association between resources and IL-6 at low SES was moderately attenuated upon adjustment for negative affect.

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic status might modulate the linkage between psychological resources and systemic inflammation in men. At lower levels of SES, resources may be related to lower inflammation in part through lower negative affect. Associations with higher inflammation at higher SES add to growing evidence suggesting that adaptive psychological characteristics may be associated with markers of poorer physiological function under certain conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record

Psychosocial Clusters and their Associations with Well-Being and Health: An Empirical Strategy for Identifying Psychosocial Predictors Most Relevant to Racially/Ethnically Diverse Women's Health

BACKGROUND

Strategies for identifying the most relevant psychosocial predictors in studies of racial/ethnic minority women’s health are limited because they largely exclude cultural influences and they assume that psychosocial predictors are independent. This paper proposes and tests an empirical solution.

METHODS

Hierarchical cluster analysis, conducted with data from 140,652 Women’s Health Initiative participants, identified clusters among individual psychosocial predictors. Multivariable analyses tested associations between clusters and health outcomes.

RESULTS

A Social Cluster and a Stress Cluster were identified. The Social Cluster was positively associated with well-being and inversely associated with chronic disease index, and the Stress Cluster was inversely associated with well-being and positively associated with chronic disease index. As hypothesized, the magnitude of association between clusters and outcomes differed by race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

By identifying psychosocial clusters and their associations with health, we have taken an important step toward understanding how individual psychosocial predictors interrelate and how empirically formed Stress and Social clusters relate to health outcomes. This study has also demonstrated important insight about differences in associations between these psychosocial clusters and health among racial/ethnic minorities. These differences could signal the best pathways for intervention modification and tailoring.

Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis of Sex Differences in Depression and Prognosis in Persons With Myocardial Infarction: A MINDMAPS Study

OBJECTIVE

Using combined individual patient data from prospective studies, we explored sex differences in depression and prognosis post-myocardial infarction (MI) and determined whether disease indices could account for found differences.

METHODS

Individual patient data analysis of 10,175 MI patients who completed diagnostic interviews or depression questionnaires from 16 prospective studies from the MINDMAPS study was conducted. Multilevel logistic and Cox regression models were used to determine sex differences in prevalence of depression and sex-specific effects of depression on subsequent outcomes.

RESULTS

Combined interview and questionnaire data from observational studies showed that 36% (635/1760) of women and 29% (1575/5526) of men reported elevated levels of depression (age-adjusted odds ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.60-0.77). The risk for all-cause mortality associated with depression was higher in men (hazard ratio = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.30-1.47) than in women (hazard ratio = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.14-1.31; sex by depression interaction: p < .001). Low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was associated with higher depression scores in men only (sex by LVEF interaction: B = 0.294, 95% CI = 0.090-0.498), which attenuated the sex difference in the association between depression and prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of depression post-MI was higher in women than in men, but the association between depression and cardiac prognosis was worse for men. LVEF was associated with depression in men only and accounted for the increased risk of all-cause mortality in depressed men versus women, suggesting that depression in men post-MI may, in part, reflect cardiovascular disease severity.

Psychosocial distress and stroke risk in older adults

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To investigate the association of psychosocial distress with risk of stroke mortality and incident stroke in older adults.

METHODS

Data were from the Chicago Health and Aging Project, a longitudinal population-based study conducted in 3 contiguous neighborhoods on the south side of Chicago, IL. Participants were community-dwelling black and non-Hispanic white adults, aged 65 years and older (n=4120 for stroke mortality; n=2649 for incident stroke). Psychosocial distress was an analytically derived composite measure of depressive symptoms, perceived stress, neuroticism, and life dissatisfaction. Cox proportional hazards models examined the association of distress with stroke mortality and incident stroke over 6 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

Stroke deaths (151) and 452 incident strokes were identified. Adjusting for age, race, and sex, the hazard ratio (HR) for each 1-SD increase in distress was 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.28-1.70) for stroke mortality and 1.18 (95% CI=1.07-1.30) for incident stroke. Associations were reduced after adjustment for stroke risk factors and remained significant for stroke mortality (HR=1.29; 95% CI=1.10-1.52) but not for incident stroke (HR=1.09; 95% CI=0.98-1.21). Secondary analyses of stroke subtypes showed that distress was strongly related to incident hemorrhagic strokes (HR=1.70; 95% CI=1.28-2.25) but not ischemic strokes (HR=1.02; 95% CI=0.91-1.15) in fully adjusted models.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing levels of psychosocial distress are related to excess risk of both fatal and nonfatal stroke in older black and white adults. Additional research is needed to examine pathways linking psychosocial distress to cerebrovascular disease risk.

Perceived Stress and Vascular Disease

Apart from traditional risk factors, psychosocial characteristics are increasingly considered as potential predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The concept of stress is relevant when discussing the relationship between psychosocial factors and CVD. Among stress types and definitions (ie, marital stress, work stress), “perceived stress” presents a global and comprehensive stress construct and is based on the concept that individuals actively interact with their environment, appraising potentially threatening or challenging events in the light of available coping resources. However, the role of perceived stress in CVD incidence has not yet been completely elucidated. Thus, we evaluate perceived stress as a CVD risk factor by reviewing the literature. We also discuss the relationship between negative affect and CVD development.