Discrimination experiences, resilience, and cardiovascular disease risk factors among sexual minority women

AbstractResilience, or the process of adapting to adversity, may protect against the harmful effects of minority-related stressors on the cardiovascular health of sexual minority women (SMW). An online survey was conducted in a sample of cisgender, non-heterosexual women to evaluate resilience as a moderator of the association between discrimination experiences and key cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors: stress, tobacco-smoking, hazardous alcohol consumption, poor diet quality, physical inactivity, and sedentary behaviors. Overall, 191 women (mean age  = 29.34,SD = 6.92; 84.5% White) completed the survey and met eligibility to be included in the data analysis. White race (b = − 6.71,SE = 2.49) and education (b = − 3.36,SE = 0.56) were each independently associated with fewer discrimination experiences. Latinx ethnicity was associated with more discrimination experiences (b = 9.34,SE = 2.61). Education was associated with greater resilience (b = 4.57,SE = 0.83). Multivariable regression models were adjusted for race, ethnicity, and education. Discrimination was associated with a higher likelihood of smoking in the past month (b = 0.04,SE = 0.02) and drinking at hazardous levels (b = 0.09,SE = 0.02). Resilience was associated with less stress (b =  − 0.15,SE = 0.02), a lower likelihood of hazardous alcohol consumption (b =  − 0.02,SE = 0.01) and less time spent engaging in sedenta...
Source: Journal of Behavioral Medicine - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research