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Older women who have no social ties are much more likely than men to have hypertension, according to a new study. However, in men, a calmer social life is linked to lower blood pressure, the authors say.
Researchers analyzed health, social and health data for more than 28,000 adults between the ages of 45 and 85. Women were more likely to have hypertension when they had no partners, engaged in less than three social activities per month, and had a small social network with fewer than 85 contacts, reported Annalijn Conklin, Ph.D., of the University of British Columbia. .
Widowhood, living alone, and social inactivity were linked to the higher mean rates of systolic blood pressure. Of all factors, widowhood conferred the greatest risk of hypertension, especially when compared to being married, the researchers found.
Conversely, the risk of hypertension for men was higher for those who shared a home with others and had a large social network. Men with smaller networks and who lived alone had the lowest blood pressure.
Among women, blood pressure levels related to social isolation were similar to blood pressure levels seen with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, high-sodium diets, or weight gain, Conklin said. “This represents a significant specific risk factor for women for heart disease or stroke.”
Coklin’s team also found similar differences between men and women in a previous study on social isolation and obesity.
“Taken with our previous research, our new findings underscore how social isolation affects health in men and women differently,” Conklin said. “At a time when COVID-19 is forcing us to limit our social interactions, it’s important for those working in health and public health to encourage older women, in particular, to find new ways to be socially active.”
The data was collected from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. The study was published in Journal of Hypertension.
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