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Violence as a factor in the development of heart disease, myocardial infarction and stroke
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Girls who have been physically and/or sexually abused have an increased risk of developing heart disease, heart attack and stroke in adulthood, scientists say.
The researchers looked at the links between violence and heart disease and stroke among 67,100 women. Eleven percent of women reported exposure to sexual abuse as children or adolescents, and nine percent reported physical abuse.
Women who were repeatedly sexually abused as children or adolescents had a 62% higher risk of developing heart disease. Physical abuse increased the risk of developing heart disease by 45%.
"The single most important factor explaining the association between childhood maltreatment and cardiovascular disease later in life was the tendency to be obese in adulthood due to poor diet. Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, diabetes and hypertension, accounted for only 40%," said lead author Janet Rich-Edwards, an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
"Women who experience violence need to take special care of their physical and emotional well-being to reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases," Rich-Edwards said.
"To help prevent cardiovascular disease in women who have had a history of violence, we need to learn more about the psychological state and lifestyle of this group of people," said the study's author.