Background: The Hispanic/Latino population experiences socioeconomic disadvantages across the lifespan. Yet, little is known about the role of these disadvantages in cardiovascular health (CVH). We assessed the association of lifecourse socioeconomic position (SEP) with ideal CVH and change in Hispanic/Latino adults.
Methods and results: We used longitudinal data from the HCHS/SOL (Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos). Childhood SEP was determined using parental educational attainment. Adult SEP was determined through an index combining participants' education, occupation, income, and assets at baseline. We classified participants into 4 socioeconomic mobility categories (eg, stable low or high SEP, upward or downward mobility). Using the 4 health factors of the American Heart Association "Life's Essential 8," we built a score of ideal CVH at baseline and the 6-year follow-up. Linear mixed-effects models using inverse probability weighting were fitted to assess the main associations. Higher childhood SEP was associated with higher ideal CVH at baseline (β for high school versus <high school, 3.57 [95% CI, 1.76-5.57]) and (>high school versus <high school, 3.76 [95% CI, 1.99-5.52]). Middle (β for middle versus low SEP, 3.57 [95% CI, 1.65-5.49]) and high adult SEP (β for high versus low SEP, 5.05 [95% CI, 2.55-7.55]) were also associated with higher ideal CVH. Socioeconomic mobility was also associated with higher ideal CVH. No life-course SEP exposure was associated with the change in ideal CVH over a 6-year period.
Conclusions: Although high childhood and adult SEP and socioeconomic mobility were associated with higher levels of ideal CVH, they were not associated with change in ideal-CVH.
Keywords: Hispanic; Latino; cardiovascular health; childhood; life‐course; social mobility; socioeconomic position.