Latest news with #KarestanKoenen
Euronews
12-08-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Stalking linked to increased heart disease risk in women, study finds
Women who have been stalked or obtained restraining orders face significantly higher risks of heart disease and stroke over the long term, new research has found. Published in the journal Circulation, the study followed more than 66,000 women over 20 years and found that those who reported being stalked by a current or former partner – or other people – were 41 per cent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who did not report stalking. The risk was even higher for women who had obtained a restraining order, with a 70 per cent greater likelihood of heart disease or stroke. 'To many people, stalking doesn't seem to be such a serious experience, as it often does not involve physical contact. But stalking has profound psychological consequences that can have physical implications,' said Karestan Koenen, the study's senior author and a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard University in the US. The findings underscore that "common, non-contact forms of violence against women are health hazards and need to be considered as such, just like we consider smoking or poor diet," Koenen added. Stalking affects roughly one in three women and one in six men over the course of their lives, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the European Union, that figure is 18.5 per cent, with rates ranging from 8.5 per cent in Lithuania to 32.4 per cent in Slovakia, EU data shows. Stalking involves repeated unwanted behaviours, such as following, spying, uninvited visits, or online harassment. Yet the study highlights that stalking is rarely addressed in medical research, despite the profound psychological trauma it can cause and its potential physical health impacts The study analysed data from a long-running survey of female nurses in the United States, collecting information on their stalking history in 2001 and following participants through 2021. At the beginning of the study, none of the women had cardiovascular disease. Nearly 12 per cent reported having been stalked, and almost 6 per cent said they had obtained a restraining order at some point. Heart disease and stroke were self-reported and verified through medical records. Over the next two decades, about 3 per cent of women developed cardiovascular disease, with significantly higher risks for those who had been stalked or obtained restraining orders. Calls for improved screening and support in healthcare The study authors suggest that psychological distress from stalking may disrupt the nervous system, impair blood vessel function, and alter other biological mechanisms – potential pathways linking violence with cardiovascular harm. However, additional studies would be needed to better understand the link. Notably, most participants in this study were non-Hispanic white nurses, meaning the findings may not fully capture the experiences of women overall. Previous studies have shown that stalking and violence disproportionately impact women from minority ethnic groups and lower-income communities. Despite these limitations, the study authors said their findings indicate more needs be done to address violence against women. "In health care settings, we need to improve screening for stalking and other forms of violence and provide resources for women to protect themselves," Koenen said. "And zooming out further, on a broad public health level, we need to do better in addressing and preventing the root causes of violence against women," she added.
Sydney Morning Herald
12-08-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Under pressure: Why being stalked increases women's risk of heart disease
Stalking raises the risk of heart disease for women and should be added to risk factors alongside smoking and bad diet, scientists have warned. Harvard University discovered that women who were stalked were 41 per cent more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. For those forced to obtain a restraining order, the risk rose to 70 per cent. Although stalking is known to cause fear and trigger mental health problems, the new study is the first to show it has an impact on heart health. 'To many people, stalking doesn't seem to be such a serious experience, as it often does not involve physical contact. But stalking has profound psychological consequences that can have physical implications,' says senior author Dr Karestan Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. 'Our study highlights that these preventable, common, non-contact forms of violence against women are health hazards and need to be considered as such, just like we consider smoking or poor diet.' Stalking is defined as linked incidents causing distress, fear or alarm, which can involve obscene, threatening unwanted letters, text messages or phone calls, being watched or followed or having people loiter near to the home or workplace. For the new study researchers looked at the cardiovascular outcomes for 66,270 women aged between 36 and 56 who were enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study II between 2001 and 2021. Around 12 per cent reported that they had been stalked, while just over five per cent said they had obtained a restraining order.
The Age
12-08-2025
- Health
- The Age
Under pressure: Why being stalked increases women's risk of heart disease
Stalking raises the risk of heart disease for women and should be added to risk factors alongside smoking and bad diet, scientists have warned. Harvard University discovered that women who were stalked were 41 per cent more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. For those forced to obtain a restraining order, the risk rose to 70 per cent. Although stalking is known to cause fear and trigger mental health problems, the new study is the first to show it has an impact on heart health. 'To many people, stalking doesn't seem to be such a serious experience, as it often does not involve physical contact. But stalking has profound psychological consequences that can have physical implications,' says senior author Dr Karestan Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. 'Our study highlights that these preventable, common, non-contact forms of violence against women are health hazards and need to be considered as such, just like we consider smoking or poor diet.' Stalking is defined as linked incidents causing distress, fear or alarm, which can involve obscene, threatening unwanted letters, text messages or phone calls, being watched or followed or having people loiter near to the home or workplace. For the new study researchers looked at the cardiovascular outcomes for 66,270 women aged between 36 and 56 who were enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study II between 2001 and 2021. Around 12 per cent reported that they had been stalked, while just over five per cent said they had obtained a restraining order.
