Abstract
Purpose
Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in reproductive-age women. Factors
associated with this condition such as psychosocial stress are still being elucidated.
This paper explores the association between major life events (MLE) stress and fibroids.
Methods
Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to determine the
association between MLE stress (number of events and stress intensity) and fibroids
in 556 Black and 373 White women in the Uterine Fibroid Study, 1996–1999.
Main Findings
Fibroids were prevalent in 74% and 50% of the Black and White women, respectively.
The mean number of MLE reported by each race group was two. Among White women, the
PR for those who reported at least one event compared with those with no events were
significant after adjusting for age and study identified fibroid risk factors (PR
[1 and 2 events], 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2–2.5), (PR [3 events], 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3–2.7), and
(PR [4 events], 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0–2.1), respectively. At all levels of stress compared
with no events, significant associations with fibroids were found among White women.
For Black Women, the PR for fibroids was only significant in the high stress group
compared with those without an experienced event, after adjusting for fibroid risk
factors (PR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1–1.4).
Conclusion
Examining the number and stress intensity of MLE enriched our understanding of this
stressor and fibroids. Further research is needed to understand the role of stress
on fibroids among women.
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Biography
Anissa I. Vines, MS, PhD, is a psychosocial epidemiologist with interests in chronic diseases among women and racial/ethnic health disparities.
Biography
Myduc Ta, PhD, is an epidemiologist with interests in the social determinants of health and injury prevention.
Biography
Denise Esserman, PhD, is a biostatistician whose interests include survival analysis and mixed models.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 04, 2010
Accepted:
March 23,
2010
Received in revised form:
February 23,
2010
Received:
August 10,
2009
Footnotes
Dr. Anissa Vines' work on this project was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (RO3-MH61057) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BIRCWH Program, K12HD001441-06. Dr. Myduc Ta's work on this project was provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, RO3-MH61057 (awarded to AI Vines). Dr. Denise Esserman's support was provided by a Translational Science Award, UL1 RR025747 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The authors report no known financial conflict of interest. Dr. Vines had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
