Black breast cancer survivors living in less diverse and socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are less likely to maintain optimal cardiovascular health (CVH) compared to those in more diverse and affluent areas, according to a study published in JACC: CardioOncology.
Recognizing that various area-level social determinants of health can impact CVH among Black breast cancer survivors, researchers conducted a study involving 713 survivors from the Women’s Circle of Health Follow-Up Study (WCHFS), a cohort based in New Jersey.
The study aimed to explore the neighborhood types where these survivors resided at the time of their diagnosis and to assess their association with poor CVH. The participants were diagnosed with breast cancer between May 2012 and November 2017, and their CVH was evaluated 24 months post-diagnosis. The American Heart Association (AHA) definitions for poor, intermediate, and ideal health components were used to derive CVH scores, with higher scores indicating better CVH.
