Black women with heart disease risk face higher rates of loneliness than whites

A study presented Feb. 21 at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference found that black women who are at risk for heart disease tend to struggle with loneliness more than white women.

The research, which examined the influence of social disadvantages on loneliness, included 50 black and 49 non-Hispanic white post-menopausal women who had at least two risk factors for heart disease.

The findings build off other studies that found loneliness increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and negative health outcomes.

“African-American women at risk for cardiovascular disease have unique predictors of loneliness—financial stress and subjective social status—as compared to non-Hispanic white women,” said Karen Saban, PhD, an associate professor and associate dean for research at Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing in Maywood, Illinois, in a statement.

The women in the study completed questionnaires on loneliness, depression symptoms, financial stress, social support and resilience. They were also asked to give information about their subjective social status, defined as a person’s sense of where they fall on socioeconomic and social spectrums.

While black women suffered from higher rates of loneliness, the study also revealed that they were almost three time as likely to report financial stress.