A recent abstract presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions revealed that Black women who experience racism in their workplace, residential area, and encounters with law enforcement are at a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD). This finding is particularly significant as Black women already bear a disproportionate burden of CHD and CHD-related mortality, along with experiencing its onset at an earlier age compared to women from other racial or ethnic backgrounds.1
There has been limited research on the link between perceived interpersonal racism and CHD risk among Black women. The study’s lead author, Shanshan Sheehy, MD, MSc, ScD, assistant professor of medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, emphasized that “Our study provides longitudinal evidence on the relationship between perceived interpersonal racism and incident cardiovascular endpoints, suggesting that Black women with higher levels of perceived interpersonal racism may subsequently have a higher risk of incident CHD.”1
The study, published in Circulation, tracked 48,305 participants in the Black Women’s Health Study over a 22-year period, collecting data through mailed and internet-based questionnaires. The questions focused on perceived interpersonal racism in daily life, particularly in relation to their job, place of living, and encounters with the police. Participants who reported experiencing racism in all three categories had a 26% higher risk of developing heart disease compared to those who did not report any instances of racism.2
It’s important to note that the study found differences in the associations between perceived racism in daily life and racism experienced in the workplace, residential area, and by law enforcement. The researchers pointed out that perceived racism in everyday life was not independently associated with a higher risk of CHD; rather, it was the racism experienced across these specific categories that posed an increased risk.1
Discussing the study’s limitations, the authors acknowledged that the investigation focused solely on perceived interpersonal racism, which is subjective, and that racism itself is a complex and multifaceted issue with varying manifestations. Nevertheless, these findings shed light on the impact of racism on the cardiovascular health of Black women, emphasizing the need for further research and interventions to address this concerning disparity.
