Top Things to Know: Improving CVH Through the Consideration of Social Factors in Genetics and Genomics Research
Prepared by EJ Cheon, PhD, Associate Science and Medicine Advisor; Paul Chase, PhD, Associate Science and Medicine Advisor
- Social determinants of health (SDOH)—such as socioeconomic status, racism, and neighborhood environments—significantly impact cardiovascular health (CVH) and disease (CVD)
- This scientific statement highlights how SDOH and genetic factors interact to collectively influence CVH and CVD risk and identifies gaps in current research.
- Genome-wide association studies have identified numerous genetic variants linked to CVD, but they explain only a modest portion of heritability. Increasing diversity in genomic research can enhance the accuracy of risk prediction and prevention strategies.
- Social stressors, such as racism, socioeconomic disparities, and neighborhood conditions, not only directly affect CVH but also interact with genetic susceptibility to exacerbate disease risk and health disparities.
- Socioeconomic status is associated with changes in stress-related genes, influencing biological aging and elevating CVD risk.
- Psychosocial stressors accelerate the body’s aging process and increase susceptibility to CVD while optimism and resilience are potentially linked to beneficial epigenetic changes.
- Social cohesion and neighborhood resources are associated with improved health outcomes, while adverse environments correlate with epigenetic changes tied to inflammation and stress.
- Pollution, smoking, and chemical exposures influence DNA methylation, providing a biological mechanism for disparities in CVD risk tied to environmental inequities.
- Epigenetic mechanisms, especially DNA methylation, are pivotal in translating adverse social conditions into biological changes that elevate CVD risk.
- This statement urges the inclusion of diverse populations in genomic research, the development of longitudinal studies to understand cumulative risks, and the creation of equitable interventions that integrate social, genetic, and epigenetic data to address CVH disparities effectively.
Citation
Suglia SF, Hidalgo B, Baccarelli AA, Cardenas A, Damrauer S, Johnson A, Key K, Liang M, Magnani JW, Pate B; Sims M, Tajeu GS; on behalf of the American Heart Association Social Determinants of Health Committee of the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine; Council on Hypertension; Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health; and Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease. Improving cardiovascular health through the consideration of social factors in genetics and genomics research: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2025;19:e000138. doi: 10.1161/HCQ.0000000000000138