New research suggests that younger African American women who are caregivers may be at increased risk for developing high blood pressure due to the stress of their role.

According to a new study, there may be a connection between the stress of caregiving and the development of hypertension in younger Black women. The research, which was published in the American Heart Association Journal Hypertension, discovered that Black women aged 21 to 44 who were caregivers were at a higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those who were not caregivers. The study, which tracked participants for an average of 7.4 years, revealed that 43.5% of all participants eventually developed hypertension.

The team of experts from NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, who led the study, also found that 51.7% of those who reported moderate or high levels of caregiving stress ended up developing hypertension, while only 40.6% of those with low or no caregiving stress experienced the same outcome. Previous research has already established a link between caregiving and high blood pressure in middle-aged and older Black women, but this study was one of the first to explore this relationship in younger women.

Milla Arabadjian, Ph.D., the study's corresponding author and an assistant professor at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine's Department of Foundations of Medicine, stated in a press release, "Our analysis suggests that caregiver strain, as a chronic source of stress, may significantly contribute to the development of hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, among reproductive-age Black women."

The timing of this study is particularly significant, as it comes on the heels of a recent advisory from U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, which highlighted the fact that parents and caregivers are facing higher levels of stress and mental health challenges compared to non-caregivers in the past decade. The authors of the study also noted that caregiving is a chronic source of stress, and women, who make up the majority of informal caregivers, are disproportionately affected.

It is well-documented that Black women have a higher prevalence of hypertension compared to women from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, in younger Black women with hypertension, the rates of uncontrolled blood pressure are alarmingly high. Therefore, identifying "addressable" risk factors, such as caregiving stress, is crucial in developing targeted prevention strategies for this group.

Tanya M. Spruill, Ph.D., the senior author of the study and an associate professor in the departments of Population Health and Medicine at NYU Langone Health, shared her thoughts on the findings, saying, "Given the high lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease, especially among reproductive-age Black women, we need to better identify the root causes contributing to the strain." She added, "If a lack of affordable childcare is a source, then providing access to childcare resources could be one solution. If the source of strain is a communication challenge with a child or elderly relative, tailored education could be helpful."

Dr. Spruill, who co-leads the Jackson Heart Study Hypertension Working Group, which provided funding for this research, also stated, "This study highlights the importance of addressing the underlying sources of stress in order to improve the overall health and well-being of Black women."

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