Differences between Childhood Trauma and Heart Disease Risk in Adulthood

Childhood trauma is a chronic stressor that has been linked to Heart Disease (CVD). Evidence also shows that females may have a heightened reactivity to interpersonal and chronic stress than males. The subjects for this study included 6881 members of Statistics Canada's National Population Health Survey. The main objectives were to assess whether women who report childhood trauma are more likely than men who report childhood trauma to have CVD, and possible mediating and moderating factors in the association between childhood trauma and CVD. Our results suggested that the effect of childhood trauma on CVD is heightened among women when compared to men. Stressful life events in adulthood were found to heighten the impact of childhood trauma on CVD, particularly among women. Also, depression, smoking, and poor diet were found to partially mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and CVD. This has important implications for sex differences in CVD risk.