Socioeconomic Status and Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Substantial research suggests that individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES) are at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. The current chapter focuses on the relationship between SES and CVD and the antecedents of this association. First, the article discusses issues in conceptualization and measurement of SES in CVD research. Second, the literature concerning SES and CVD is summarized, drawing substantially on available resources and comprehensive reviews while highlighting notable recent and novel studies. Several factors viewed as key determinants of SES-related disparities in CVD are then discussed, including upstream, structural/material and environmental influences, biobehavioral pathways, and psychosocial risk processes. Finally, in this context, the chapter addresses how information regarding each candidate pathway can be conveyed into prevention and intervention programs to reduce or eliminate SES-related CVD disparities.