Current 49 - Health-Related Social Needs Negatively Impact Cardiovascular Health in U.S. Adults

Summary

A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association examined the association between health-related social needs (HRSNs) and cardiovascular health (CVH) in U.S. adults. The findings indicate that the presence of multiple unfavorable HRSNs (e.g., unemployment, food insecurity, low education) correlate with lower CVH and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.¹

CVD remains a leading cause of mortality in the U.S. In 2010, the American Heart Association (AHA) introduced Life’s Simple 7^TM to enhance CVH, expanding it to Life’s Essential 8^TM (LE8) in 2022 by incorporating sleep health.² Greater adherence to these health metrics is linked to reduced CVD incidence.³ Social determinants of health (SDOH), such as economic stability, education, and health care access, significantly influence CVH outcomes, as recognized in AHA’s 2015 Scientific Statement.⁴

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2020) with a sample size of 14,947 participants, researchers categorized LE8 scores into three levels: low (0-49), moderate (50-79), and high (80-100). Individuals with 1-2, 3-4, and ≥ 5 unfavorable HRSNs had higher adjusted prevalence ratios (95% CI) for low CVH: 1.42 (1.17-1.73), 2.11 (1.69-2.63), and 2.42 (1.90-3.08), respectively. In contrast, corresponding ratios for high CVH were 0.77 (0.68-0.87), 0.58 (0.49-0.67), and 0.46 (0.38-0.55). These findings were consistent across subgroups.

This study highlights the need for structural interventions targeting economic and educational needs to improve CVH. Further research is needed to explore causal pathways and assess interventions optimizing LE8 to improve CVH.

Sources

1. Zhang Z, Jackson SL, Thompson-Paul AM, et al. Associations between health-related social needs and cardiovascular health among US adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024;13(23):e035863. doi:10.1161/JAHA.124.035863.

2. Lloyd-Jones DM, Allen NB, Anderson CAM, et al. Life’s Essential 8: updating and enhancing the American Heart Association’s construct of cardiovascular health: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2022;146(5):e18-e43. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001078.

3. Sun J, Li Y, Zhao M, et al. Association of the American Heart Association’s new "Life’s Essential 8" with all-cause and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality: prospective cohort study. BMC Med. 2023;21(1):116. doi:10.1186/s12916-023-02824-8.

4. Havranek EP, Mujahid MS, Barr DA, et al. Social determinants of risk and outcomes for cardiovascular disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2015;132(9):873-898. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000228.

This summary was created with assistance from generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, 2025)