Purpose: Everyone experiences stress, but the menopause transition can be a particularly stressful period of life. The marginalized status of Latinas in the United States exposes them to multiple unique stressors shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, Latinas may be equipped with several protective factors like social support that may offset the negative effects of stress on CVD risk. The overall goal of this study is to identify sociocultural stressors associated with arterial stiffness progression in Latinas during perimenopause and evaluate the role of protective factors in these associations.
Funding: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R56HL167745)