# Examining associations of sexual identity, life experiences, and cardiovascular disease risk in sisters

> **NIH NIH K01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $171,691

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY. Despite improvements in prevention and treatment, cardiovascular disease (CVD)
remains the leading cause of death and disability in women. Current evidence, primarily based on self-reported
data, indicates that sexual minority women (SMW; lesbian and bisexual) demonstrate significantly higher
modifiable risk factors for CVD than heterosexual women (including stress, tobacco use, alcohol use, and
obesity). However, little is known about factors that link sexual minority identity with CVD risk in women, which
limits development of tailored prevention efforts. Although adverse life experiences (e.g., interpersonal trauma
and discrimination) are posited to contribute to CVD risk in SMW, few studies have examined the potential
cardiovascular effects of adverse life experiences in this population. This Career Development Award will
provide Dr. Billy Caceres with the training and research skills needed to launch an independent program of
research focused on identifying and mitigating the effects of stress on the association of sexual minority
identity and cardiovascular health. The overall aim of this K01 application is to use a sibling design to estimate
the contribution of sexual minority identity on CVD risk in women and whether this association is impacted by
adverse life experiences. The proposed research is based on the scientific premise that, by accounting for
unobserved familial confounding associated with CVD risk (genetics, parental factors, and childhood
environment), biological heterosexual sisters will provide a strong comparison group to study CVD risk in
SMW. Supported by an interdisciplinary team of mentors, Dr. Caceres will extend the Chicago Health and Life
Experiences of Women (CHLEW; R01AA13328) study, the longest running study of SMW's health, to compare
CVD risk among SMW enrolled in the CHLEW study (N=65) and their biological heterosexual sisters (N=65).
This proposal will examine the association of sexual minority identity with: Aim 1: psychological (depressive,
anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms); Aim 2: behavioral (tobacco use, heavy drinking, physical
activity, diet, and sleep quality); and Aim 3: physiological (cardiometabolic [body mass index, glycosylated
hemoglobin, and lipids] and inflammatory [C-reactive protein and interleukin-6]) risk factors for CVD. Through
coursework, seminars, experiential training, conferences, and mentored meetings, Dr. Caceres will address
prior gaps in training to develop skills in: 1) women's health research, 2) behavioral cardiovascular health, 3)
social epidemiology, and 4) quantitative methods for dyadic analyses. These research and training activities
will inform an R01 application that will comprehensively examine physiological mechanisms that link sexual
minority identity and adverse life experiences to CVD risk in women. Findings will identify modifiable
psychological, behavioral, and physiological risk factors that can serve as targets for CVD prevention effo...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10449231
- **Project number:** 5K01HL146965-04
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Billy A Caceres
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $171,691
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10449231

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10449231, Examining associations of sexual identity, life experiences, and cardiovascular disease risk in sisters (5K01HL146965-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10449231. Licensed CC0.

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