Incarceration of a family member during childhood is associated with later heart attack: Findings from two large, population-based studies

Abstract

PurposeWe examined the relationship between exposure to family member incarceration during childhood (FMIC) and myocardial infarction, controlling for traditional cardiovascular risk and social risk factors. MethodsGender-specific analyses were conducted in two, independent large population-based data sets of respondents aged 50 and over. Data were obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). We first analyzed the 2012 BRFSS sample (n=5721 men, 9240 women), and then replicated the analyses using the 2011 BRFSS sample (n=9393 men, 13,147 women). Both samples excluded respondents reporting childhood physical or sexual abuse. ResultsAfter adjustment for 17 factors, in men, the odds of heart attack among those with FMIC was significantly higher in both the 2012 and 2011 analyses (OR=1.77, 95% CI=1.20, 2.61; OR=2.32, 95% CI=1.60, 3.37, respectively). Among women, FMIC was not associated with heart attack in either fully adjusted analysis (OR=1.14, 95% CI=0.59, 2.18; OR=1.23, 95% CI=0.66, 2.29, respectively). ConclusionsFindings suggest that FMIC is associated with myocardial infarction in men, even after adjusting for a wide range of traditional risk factors (e.g., socio-demographics, substance abuse, smoking physical activity, body mass, lifetime diabetes, and depression). Future research should explore plausible mechanisms and why the observed gender differences exist.