NHLBI-SES Conference Report

Report of the Conference on Socioeconomic Status and Cardiovascular Health and Disease

The Conference on Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Cardiovascular Health and Disease, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in November, 1995, addressed a topic of great importance for improving public health in the United States. For more than 30 years, it has been recognized that population groups with different levels of education, income, and other indicators of social status have different rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, as this conference report indicates, current understanding of the behavioral, social, psychological, and biological pathways through which SES influences CVD remains limited. Clarifying the association between SES and CVD will make it possible to design tailored and effective therapeutic and preventive approaches to reduce CVD in specific SES groups.

This report contains valuable recommendations (outlined in the Executive Summary) for the scientific community, public health policymakers, and health professionals that can serve as a starting point for identifying ways to reduce CVD significantly among all segments of society.

You may order the published version from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
(703) 487-4660

(Paper copy $35.00; microfiche $19.50)