Skip to main content
  • Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms
  • Volunteer
  • Learn CPR
  • ShopHeart
American Heart Association heart and torch logo
American Heart Association
  • Donate Once
  • Donate Monthly
  • donateDonate
  • Close Menu

    Trending Search

    • find my cpr card
    • bls
    • ecard
    • acls
    • bls certification
  • Healthy Living
  • Health Topics
  • Professionals
  • Get Involved
  • Ways to Give
  • About Us
  • Learn CPR
  • In Your Community
  • Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms
  • Learn CPR
  • Volunteer
  • ShopHeart
  1. Home
  2. Where you live could affect your long term survival after heart attack

Where you live could affect your long-term survival after heart attack

 
(Busà Photography/Moment Open, Getty Images)

Having a heart attack before your 50th birthday is bad enough. But recent research shows if you also live in a poor neighborhood, your chances of dying within a decade of your heart attack are higher.

"This tells us that we need to focus not just on a patient's medical problems, but on the whole person, on where they live and the resources they have that will allow them to thrive," said the study's lead investigator, Dr. Adam Berman, a cardiology fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

Berman and his team divided 2,097 people who had heart attacks before age 50 into three groups based on where they lived. They ranked home addresses using the area deprivation index, a measure of socioeconomic status that includes income, education, employment and housing quality. The study found the more disadvantaged a person's neighborhood, the higher the chances they would die within 11 years of a first heart attack.

The research was presented at the American Heart Association's virtual Scientific Sessions in November 2020. It is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Prior research shows people in disadvantaged neighborhoods are less able to afford medications, are exposed to greater amounts of pollution, and have less access to healthy foods and other resources that could improve their health, Berman said. These social determinants of health have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

"It is likely that a variety of neighborhood and personal socioeconomic factors contribute to the underlying mechanisms that drive this association between where someone lives and their chances of dying," he said. "We have to focus on all of those aspects in the care of our patients, particularly after they have a heart attack, and particularly in those who are young."

Overall, the number of people in the United States having heart attacks has been declining, but for younger adults, heart attacks appear to have been increasing over the past decade. And for Black adults in their 30s and 40s, heart attacks are more common and more deadly than among young white adults, prior research shows.

This recent study found those who lived in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods were more likely to be Black or Hispanic, have public or no health insurance, and experience higher rates of heart-related risk factors.

But the study included a relatively small number of women – nearly 80% of participants were men. That's a problem, given the high rate of heart disease among Black women, said Dr. Tiffany Powell-Wiley, chief of the Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Nearly half of all adult Black women have some type of heart disease. They are more likely to die of heart disease – and at a younger age – than their white peers.

"We need to know what this looks like across genders," said Powell-Wiley, who was not involved in the study. "I think it's particularly important because we know that African American women have a higher risk of premature cardiovascular mortality, and so we would want to see that they are included in data that looks at this relationship."

Overall, though, the health challenges aren't only tied to limited resources, she said.

"There is some data showing mortality is related to the physiological stress of living in these environments. I think that's where the science really needs to go. We need to really dig into the mechanisms by which social and environmental stressors get under the skin and lead to cardiovascular events."

For example, Powell-Wiley said, "if you live in these neighborhoods, you're more likely to be someone who experiences racism and discrimination, and these are layers of things that are affecting you."

Figuring out how to alleviate those stressors is the hard part, Berman and Powell-Wiley agreed.

"Now we have to find ways to fix it empirically," Berman said. "We have to test to see what happens if we improve healthy food access to a whole community, or if we can eliminate the cost of medications for a population. That's the really hard part. How do we fix it in a way that's meaningful and feasible on a medical system level?"

Powell-Wiley said the solutions should happen on several levels. "Of course, we need public policy efforts that address inequality and disparities as far as access to resources. But the other question is, how do we build interventions that really target or help people become more resilient to adverse conditions? These are questions that require interdisciplinary teams."

 


American Heart Association
X formerly known as Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Print
  • Stories
    • Sepsis is a serious but misunderstood heart threat
    • Talking turkey about Thanksgiving dinner
    • 10 ways to stay cool, safe and healthy in the sweltering summer
    • 8 is the new number for ideal heart health
    • Avoiding germs and viruses this cold and flu season amidst COVID 19
    • Be a lifesaver, react quickly to cardiac arrest
    • Beware of the hidden calories lurking in your favorite seasonal drinks
    • Beyond the basics: How extra exercise delivers maximum health benefits
    • Common high blood pressure medication
    • COVID-19 vaccine is high priority for cardiac patients
    • Dangers of tobacco are well known, yet millions of adults struggle to quit smoking
    • Despite decline in sudden cardiac deaths among athletes, Black and male players still at greater risk
    • Discover the health benefits of gratitude
    • Elements of fish oil may improve brain function in people with coronary artery disease
    • Even with exercise, moderation is the key
    • Five ways to get better sleep
    • Get on the path to a healthier you in 2024
    • Giving up smoking is hard to do; multiple approaches help
    • Health gap persists for Blacks living in rural America
    • Healthy eating should last a lifetime
    • Healthy tips for a super summer road trip
    • Hepatitis C study greenlights more heart transplants
    • Hot and cold: Climate changes can affect heart health
    • Maintaining healthy blood pressure in children is important for long-term health
    • Maintaining healthy blood pressure in children is important for long-term health
    • Making health a team effort: How couples can support each other's wellness journey
    • Making sure the holidays don't derail your diet
    • More bystander CPR training urged for low-income neighborhoods
    • New study shows home-based cardiac rehab can save lives for U.S. veterans
    • Obesity takes a toll on brain health
    • People with heart disease experience high food insecurity rates
    • Pumping iron is a sleep aid – and a heart help
    • Research counts the steps to longer life
    • Shingles vaccine may also decrease stroke risk for some
    • Social isolation is a health issue for older Americans
    • Stay active to protect your heart and improve your wellbeing
    • Strategies for successful diabetes management in the winter
    • Stroke survivors should see their primary care physician sooner
    • Study: Intensive BP treatment could reduce risk of dementia
    • Study: Over time, high blood pressure may hurt brain vessels
    • Survey shows millions of Americans battling food insecurity
    • Take the first step: Walk your way to a healthier life
    • The Mediterranean diet and lifestyle could improve health
    • The role of loved ones in the recovery of cardiac arrest survivors
    • ‘Tis the season for new holiday traditions, COVID safety measures
    • Making health a team effort: How couples can support each other's wellness journey
    • Try these five tips for grilling healthier this summer
    • Volunteering is a health practice, studies find
    • Where you live could affect your long term survival after heart attack
    • Why losing weight matters — even if you gain some back

*All health/medical information on this website has been reviewed and approved by the American Heart Association, based on scientific research and American Heart Association guidelines. Find more information on our content editorial process.

American Heart Association

National Center
7272 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75231

Customer Service
1-800-AHA-USA-1
1-800-242-8721

Contact Us

Hours
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT 
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT
Closed on Sundays

Tax Identification Number
13-5613797

About Us

  • About the AHA/ASA
  • Our Impact
  • Annual Report
  • AHA Financial Information
  • International Programs
  • Latest Heart and Stroke News
  • AHA/ASA Media Newsroom
  • Careers

Get Involved

  • Donate Now
  • Make a Memorial Gift
  • Ways to Give
  • Advocate
  • Volunteer
  • Go Red For Women
  • ShopHeart
  • ShopCPR

Our Sites

  • American Heart Association
  • American Stroke Association
  • CPR & ECC
  • Professional Heart Daily
  • More Sites
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X formerly known as Twitter
  • Tik Tok
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • National Health Council Standards of Excellence Certification Program page for Standards of Excellence
  • Better Business Bureau page for American Heart Association
  • Charity Navigator Home
  • Secured by Sectigo page for SSL certificates
  • AHA Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Copyright Policy
  • Ethics Policy
  • Conflict of Interest Policy
  • Linking Policy
  • Whistleblower Policy
  • Content Editorial Guidelines
  • Suppliers & Providers
  • State Fundraising Notices


©2025 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
The American Heart Association is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
*Red Dress ™ DHHS, Go Red ™ AHA ; National Wear Red Day® is a registered trademark.

×
American Heart Association logo

This link is provided for convenience only and is not an endorsement of either the linked-to entity or any product or service.

Proceed