Occupations Associated With Poor Cardiovascular Health in Women: The Women's Health Initiative Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Occupational Health
• Cardiovascular Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on the relationship between occupation and cardiovascular health (CVH) in older women.
• Understanding these occupational influences is crucial for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific occupations and poor overall cardiovascular health among older women.
• To identify high-risk occupations impacting women's heart health.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the American Heart Association's seven CVH metrics, scoring each as ideal (1) or non-ideal (0).
• Employed multivariable logistic regression to compare odds of poor CVH (score 0-2) across occupational categories.
• Adjusted for age, marital status, and race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks showed higher odds of poor CVH.
• First-line supervisors of sales workers and office/administrative support workers were also associated with poorer CVH.
• Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides had increased likelihood of poor overall CVH.

Conclusions:

• Several prevalent occupations among women are significantly associated with adverse cardiovascular health outcomes.
• Findings underscore the need for occupation-specific strategies to promote cardiovascular wellness in aging women.