Unveiling the Link Between Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease
A recent study by Weill Cornell Medicine has shed light on the alarming connection between psychological stress, physical pain, and cardiovascular disease in asylum seekers in the United States. Published on December 5 in Nature Mental Health, the research analyzed medical evaluations from 453 asylum seekers and uncovered troubling signs of cardiovascular issues, even among individuals as young as 30 years old.
Co-first authors, Dr. Jacob Lurie, now an interventional pain medicine fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dr. Harlan Linver Pietz, an internal medicine resident at Yale New Haven Hospital, conducted the research during their time at Weill Cornell Medicine. The findings suggest that the cumulative stress faced by asylum seekers, often compounded by physical pain, significantly increases their risk of cardiovascular disease.
A Global Crisis and Its Local Health Implications
According to the United Nations Global Trends report, forced displacement affected nearly 120 million people worldwide by the end of 2023, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. Many asylum seekers endure a confluence of stressors, including psychological trauma, legal uncertainty, and physical injuries stemming from torture and violence.
During evaluations at the Weill Cornell Human Rights Impact Lab, clinicians noted symptoms of cardiovascular disease in asylum seekers, prompting a broader investigation. “Clinicians and researchers aren’t typically looking for cardiovascular disease in these young patients,” said Dr. Kaur, founding director of the lab and co-medical director at the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights. The lab, dedicated to supporting survivors of torture, analyzed data from 2010 to 2020 and found that nearly half of the participants reported concerning symptoms like chest pain, heart palpitations, and dizziness.
Moreover, the study revealed that 31% of asylum seekers experiencing cardiovascular symptoms also reported psychological stress and physical pain. The combination of these factors strongly predicted cardiovascular disease risk, highlighting a pressing need for targeted healthcare interventions.
Addressing a Neglected Health Crisis
The study’s findings emphasize the importance of identifying and addressing cardiovascular health issues among young asylum seekers. Annabel Lee, a fourth-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medical College and co-author of the study, noted, “This will be valuable for clinicians to better understand how these characteristic symptoms of cardiovascular disease can manifest. Without accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatments aren’t possible.”
Researchers plan to further explore the prevalence of stress, pain, and symptoms of cardiovascular disease in asylum seekers and develop interventions to reduce their impact. Dr. Kaur described this as an “unexplored, untapped area of scientific investigation” and called for proactive measures to address these conditions early. Such efforts, she argued, not only improve individual health outcomes but also reduce healthcare costs and enhance community well-being.
As the number of displaced individuals continues to rise, this research underscores the critical need for tailored healthcare strategies to support some of the most vulnerable populations.
