A recent study conducted by the American Heart Association finds that housing is an important determinant of cardiovascular health and well-being, making the case that housing should be considered in efforts to eliminate racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. The study finds that adults experiencing homelessness have 60-70% higher rates of cardiovascular events compared with the general population. The study also links housing segregation to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease among Black adults and found higher rates of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in Latino neighborhoods at high risks of foreclosure.
“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States,” write the Urban Institute authors in a review of the study. “It disproportionately affects people of different races and ethnicities and vulnerable and underserved people. A recent study analyzed evidence connecting cardiovascular health to one social determinant: housing.”
The American Heart Association is a member of the Opportunity Starts at Home multi-sector affordable homes campaign.
Read the study’s findings here.
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