A heavy burden: The cardiovascular health consequences of having a family member incarcerated

Hyungsuk Lee, C. Wildeman, E.A. Wang, N. Matusko and J.S. Jackson

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 3, 421-427

Abstract: Objectives. We examined the association of family member incarceration with cardiovascular risk factors and disease by gender. Methods. We used a sample of 5470 adults aged 18 years and older in the National Survey of American Life, a 2001-2003 nationally representative crosssectional survey of Blacks and Whites living in the United States, to examine 5 self-reported health conditions (diabetes, hypertension, heart attack or stroke, obesity, and fair or poor health). Results. Family member incarceration was associated with increased likelihood of poor health across all 5 conditions for women but not for men. In adjusted models, women with family members who were currently incarcerated had 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03, 2.00), 2.53 (95% CI = 1.80, 3.55), and 1.93 (95% CI = 1.45, 2.58) times the odds of being obese, having had a heart attack or stroke, and being in fair or poor health, respectively. Conclusions. Family member incarceration has profound implications for women's cardiovascular health and should be considered a unique risk factor that contributes to racial disparities in health.

Keywords: adult; article; cardiovascular disease; Caucasian; confidence interval; cost of illness; cross-sectional study; family; female; human; male; middle aged; Negro; prisoner; psychological aspect; self report; sex difference; sex ratio; statistical model; young adult, Adult; African Continental Ancestry Group; Cardiovascular Diseases; Confidence Intervals; Cost of Illness; Cross-Sectional Studies; European Continental Ancestry Group; Family; Female; Humans; Likelihood Functions; Male; Middle Aged; Prisoners; Self Report; Sex Distribution; Sex Factors; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301504_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301504

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