Childhood stressors increase later-life cardiovascular disease risk via loneliness, which is consistently buffered by friend support but only mitigated by family support after financial hardship.
Do childhood stressors increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases in later life in adults aged 50 and above?
Childhood stressors are associated with increased self-reported CVD risk in older adults, mediated by loneliness, with friend and family support offering varying protective effects.
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This study investigates the associations between distinct childhood stressors (i.e., health threats, financial hardship, and interpersonal trauma) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in later life, with a focus on loneliness as a mediator and the moderating roles of family and friend support. Cross-sectional data were used in this study, including 5,007 Hong Kong residents aged 50 and above. CVD was assessed via self-reported diagnoses of heart diseases or stroke. All three childhood stressors were associated with increased CVD risk in old age, with loneliness significantly mediating these associations. Friend support consistently buffered the effects of all stressors on loneliness, whereas family support was protective only in case of financial hardship. These findings advance understanding of the psychological pathways connecting childhood stress to CVD. It highlights that the efficacy of social support varies based on the type of social relationship and stressor domain, rather than serving as a generic buffer.
Zhou et al. (Tue,) reported a other. Childhood stressors increase later-life cardiovascular disease risk via loneliness, which is consistently buffered by friend support but only mitigated by family support after financial hardship.