How spousal health influences heart disease risk

Spousal Influences on Subclinical and Clinical Vascular and Myocardial Disease

NIH-funded research Emory University · NIH-11063179

This study looks at how one partner's health choices, like being overweight or having high blood pressure, can impact the heart health of their spouse, and it aims to find ways to help couples lower their risk of heart disease together.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionEmory University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Atlanta, United States)
Project IDNIH-11063179 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how the health and lifestyle choices of one spouse can affect the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of the other spouse. By analyzing data from a large cohort of South Asian adults, the study aims to identify specific ways in which one partner's health conditions, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, can influence the other's risk for developing similar issues. The research will focus on spouse dyads already enrolled in the CARRS cohort, allowing for a detailed examination of these relationships over time. The goal is to develop family-level interventions that can help reduce CVD risk factors based on these findings.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are South Asian adults aged 21 and older who are part of a couple where both partners are enrolled in the CARRS cohort.

Not a fit: Patients who are not part of a couple or those outside the South Asian demographic may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to targeted interventions that improve heart health for couples by addressing shared risk factors.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has indicated that spousal health can significantly influence individual health outcomes, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.

Where this research is happening

Atlanta, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.