Study of Neighborhood Stress and Its Effects on Heart Health and Lifestyle in Women Ages 19 to 45 in Washington, DC

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how neighborhood stress and environment affect heart health and lifestyle behaviors in healthy White and Black women aged 19 to 45 living in Washington, DC. The study aims to understand how adverse neighborhood conditions like poverty and crime may increase chronic stress and impact cardiovascular risk by measuring brain activity and biological markers related to stress and heart health. Participants will undergo detailed assessments during a 2-day visit at the NIH Clinical Center, including physical exams, blood tests, heart activity monitoring with an electrocardiogram, PETCT scans to measure stress-related brain activity, surveys, body measurements, nutrition consultations, and blood vessel function tests. After this visit, participants will be followed for about 2 weeks while wearing a wrist device and carrying a GPS device to track physical activity and location. They will also complete daily brief surveys on stress and exercise via a smartphone app. Throughout the study, researchers will monitor cardiovascular risk markers, immune function, and daily behaviors such as physical activity, sedentary time, and diet. The main outcome measured is stress-related neural activity at 1 month. Participants will return the devices and receive a final nutrition consultation at the end of the follow-up period. This comprehensive approach links neighborhood environment, biology, and health behaviors to better understand factors influencing womens heart health.

Geospatial Analysis of Neighborhood Environmental Stress in Relation to Biological Markers of Cardiovascular Health and Health Behaviors in Women