Lifetime Trauma and Cardiovascular Health in Latinas

Abstract

Background: Potentially traumatic experiences throughout the life course are associated with poor cardiovascular health among women. However, research on the associations of trauma with cardiovascular health among Latino populations is limited. Understanding the impact of trauma on cardiovascular health within marginalized populations may provide guidance on developing interventions with a particular focus on preventative care.Objective: The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to examine the associations of lifetime trauma with cardiovascular health among middle-aged and older Latina women.Methods: Participants were recruited from an existing study in New York City. All participants completed a structured questionnaire to assess lifetime trauma, demographic characteristics (such as age and education), financial resource strain, and emotional support. The Trauma History Questionnaire was used to assess lifetime exposure to potentially traumatic experiences (range 0-24). Cardiovascular health was measured with a validated measure of cardiovascular health from the American Heart Association (Life's Simple 7). We used self-reported and objective data to calculate cardiovascular health scores (range 0-14). Multiple linear regression was used to examine the associations of lifetime trauma with cardiovascular health, adjusted for age, education, financial resource strain, and emotional support. Results:The sample included 50 Latina women with a mean age of 63.1 years, 88% were Dominican, and only 6% had completed a college degree. Women reported an average of 4.8 traumatic experiences. Mean cardiovascular health score was 6.5 (SD = 1.6, range 3-10). Linear regression models found that, after adjusting for age, education, financial resource strain, and emotional support, a higher count of lifetime trauma was associated with worse cardiovascular health. However, this association did not reach statistical significance. Discussion: Women with a higher count of lifetime trauma had worse cardiovascular health scores; this association was not statistically significant. Future studies should investigate associations of lifetime trauma and cardiovascular health in larger and more diverse samples of Latinas. Nurses and other clinicians should incorporate trauma-informed approaches to cardiovascular disease risk reduction to improve the cardiovascular health of Latina women who are survivors of trauma.

Resilience and Self-Management of Hypertension in African American Adults Using a Conceptualized Resilience Framework

“…The reason for this is varied and complex and depends on the individual's personal situation, beliefs, and resilience precursors. Moreover, research suggests that resilience may buffer the effects of the stressful challenges associated with chronic disease self-management; individuals who report high levels of resilience are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors compared with those who report lower levels of resilience (Caceres et al, 2022; Duggal et al, 2016; García-Martínez et al, 2023).…”

“…According to the American Psychological Association (2020), resilience is the “process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress.” Factors contributing to resilience are multiple and co-occurring, some of which are protective and others are enabling, providing mechanisms for adapting to stressful experiences (Gheshlagh et al, 2016; Spruill, 2010). Moreover, resilience differs based on cumulative interactions at the community, family, individual, physiological, and cellular levels across the life course (Szanton & Gill, 2010), and resilience may influence how an individual manages health-related challenges or self-management tasks for hypertension (Caceres et al, 2022; Chang et al, 2023).…”