NIH Record - National Institutes of Health

NIH Investigator Examines How Stressors Affect Heart Health

Forde, smiling and wearing a blue and white striped shirt, stands in front of a window. A brick building is visible beyond the window.
Dr. Allana Forde

Dr. Allana T. Forde is driven by a clear philosophy.

“The word ‘can’t’ is not a part of my vocabulary,” said Dr. Forde, a researcher at NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).

The daughter of immigrants from Guyana, she was encouraged to pursue higher education. She set out to be a physician, but instead found herself drawn to a career in public health. She received her M.P.H. in epidemiology from George Washington University and her Ph.D. in epidemiology from Columbia University. She is now a Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator in the Division of Intramural Research at NIMHD.

Dr. Forde’s research examines how stressors contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors. Her interest stems partly from the health disparities she witnessed during her time spent in the Caribbean conducting research for her NIH Fogarty International Center fellowship. Another motivation for her CVD research hit much closer to home: her father passed away from CVD complications while she was in her master’s program.

“These health outcomes are preventable,” she said. “If we can identify the contributing factors, we can intervene.”

Forde (l) and Diez Roux (r) pose together for a photo.
Dr. Forde and Dr. Ana Diez Roux reunited recently at a WALS lecture.

Another important facet of Dr. Forde’s work is the example she sets for the next generation of researchers.

“I was fortunate to have amazing mentors, and I continue to apply the same mentorship philosophies to my own mentees,” she said.

She is extremely proud of her mentees’ success and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their journey. “There will always be hurdles,” she reminds her mentees, “but you can overcome anything if you believe you can”—hearkening back to her own motto.

Dr. Forde recently experienced a full-circle moment when her mentor from her postdoctoral studies, Dr. Ana Diez Roux, visited NIH to present on the social determinants of health at the NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS).  

Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health in Rural Areas

An NIH-funded research team uncovered higher rates of heart disease and worse heart health affecting adults living in rural communities compared to urban areas and factors that likely drive these differences. More than 60 million U.S. adults live in rural communities, and heart disease remains the nation’s leading cause of death.

The researchers found adults living in rural areas were more likely to have heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Across all age groups, the differences in high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes were largest among adults ages 20–39 living in rural areas.

Investigators reviewed data from more than 27,000 adults who participated in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey to understand geographical differences in rates of heart disease and risk factors for conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

They found that factors such as levels of income and education, having enough food to eat and owning a home helped explain the higher rates of people in rural areas who had high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Prior research has also shown how difficult circumstances, such as living in poverty, can affect cardiovascular health, including increased inflammation in the body.

Identifying factors driving the higher burden of heart disease and risk factors in rural regions remains a critical research priority.

Insights from this study could inform public health efforts and policies to support and improve the cardiovascular health of people — especially younger adults — living in rural areas.

 

The NIH Record

The NIH Record, founded in 1949, is the biweekly newsletter for employees of the National Institutes of Health.

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Editor: Dana Talesnik
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Assistant Editor: Eric Bock
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Assistant Editor: Amber Snyder
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