Women who experience stalking or obtain a restraining order face significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease, according to research published Aug. 11 in Circulation.
The study analyzed data from more than 66,000 U.S. women between 2001 and 2021 in the Nurses’ Health Study II. Compared with women without these experiences, those who reported stalking had a 41% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, while those who obtained a restraining order had a 70% higher risk. Women reporting both exposures had more than double the risk.
The findings underscore the need to recognize violence against women as an underexplored cardiovascular risk factor and public health priority, according to the study.
