CVD Risk Factors and Sexual Identity in Women

To examine potential differences in the prevalence and pattern of risk factors for coronary heart disease in a sample of 500 self-identified lesbians and 500 heterosexual women, matched for age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Heart Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Coronary Disease

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of mortality among women living in the United States, regardless of race and ethnicity and is likely the leading cause of mortality among lesbians. However, in various reports since 1994, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) have pointed out that health care and health research affecting lesbian women are inadequate. As women, lesbians share many of the same health concerns of all women. However, as emphasized in the IOM Report on Lesbian Health "factors assumed to place women at risk for or to protect them against health disorders may not be present at the same levels or operate in the same way for lesbians". The IOM report also recognizes that "women who self-identify as lesbian may also experience stressors not commonly faced by heterosexual women" and that "it is important to understand the factors that are unique to lesbians and their impact on lesbians' health". Data which do exist from household surveys and studies utilizing convenience samples indicate that women who identify as lesbian may differ from heterosexual women in several important factors which contribute to the development of CHD. However, to date there has not been a comprehensive examination of CHD risk in a large sample of women who identify as lesbian or an examination of how their pattern of risk factors or overall risk for CHD may differ from a sample of demographically similar heterosexual women.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

The study is a case-control, cross-sectional survey that includes both behavior (alcohol, smoking, substance use, physical activity) and physiological (lipids, blood pressure, adiposity) measures. Self-identified lesbian women will be age, education, and racially matched to heterosexual women. The study will test the hypotheses that the prevalence and pattern of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors are different between lesbians and heterosexual women. The study will also determine the absolute and relative risk estimates for CHD based on the Framingham multiple-risk-factor assessment equations, and test the hypothesis that lesbians are at increased risk of CHD compared to heterosexual women.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 1174

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 35 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Women over 35 Years age without cvd

Description

Over 35 Years old no cvd

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
risk of cardiovascular disease	Framingham risk profile	single visit

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh
• Collaborators: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: nina markovivc, phd, University of Pittsburgh

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2003
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2008
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 10, 2003
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 10, 2003
• First Posted (Estimate): April 11, 2003

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 5, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 4, 2016
• Last Verified: January 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Myocardial Ischemia; Vascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Coronary Disease; Cardiovascular Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1210; R01HL067052 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)