FATAL ARTERIOSCLEROTIC HEART DISEASE, WATER HARDNESS AT HOME, AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS1
Abstract
Comstock, G. W. (Training Center for Public Health Research, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Box 2067, Hagerstown, Md. 21740). Fatal arteriosclerotic heart disease, water hardness at home, and socioeconomic character-istics. Amer J Epidem 94: 1–10, 1971.—Several reports have indicated an inverse correlation between the hardness of community water supplies and deaths from arteriosclerotic and degenerative heart disease. An unusual opportunity to look at this association in more detail arose in Washington County, Maryland. Drinking water sources there vary markedly in hardness, and a private census in 1963 made it possible to match cases and controls from the same defined population and to study a number of socioeconomic characteristics. During the next three years, there were 189 deaths attributed to arteriosclerotic and degenerative heart disease among white males aged 45 to 64 who could be identified in the census. For each case, 2 controls were randomly selected from the census lists and matched for race, sex and year of birth. Water samples were collected from the residences of cases and controls and examined for total hardness. No significant association of arteriosclerotic and degenerative heart disease deaths could be found with water hardness. Deaths from these causes were more common among persons of lower socioeconomic status, among cigarette smokers, and among persons who attended church infrequently. Although water hardness is not likely to be a real risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the role of trace elements in home drinking water supplies should be investigated.
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Stress and negative emotions increase susceptibility to or worsen outcomes from a wide range of physical illnesses.
“increase susceptibility to or worse outcomes from a wide range of physical illnesses [347–351]”
From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [351]
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- Authors
- COMSTOCK, G. W.
- Corresponding author
- COMSTOCK, GEORGE W.
- Venue
- American Journal of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1971-07
- Volume
- 94
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-10
- ISSN
- 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-6256
- OpenAlex
- W2264739748
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Water Treatment and Disinfection
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Healthcare Systems and Public Health
- Keywords
- arteriosclerotic heart disease, degenerative heart disease, water hardness, drinking water, socioeconomic status, cardiovascular mortality, cigarette smoking, church attendance, trace elements, Washington County, Maryland
- MeSH terms
- Arteriosclerosis, Coronary Disease, Educational Status, Female, Housing, Humans, Male, Maryland, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Religion and Medicine, Smoking, Socioeconomic Factors, Water Softening, Water Supply
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