Gender Identity and Cardiovascular Disease Among Adults in the United States.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine associations across gender identity subgroups and cardiovascular disease (CVD) subsets including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and coronary heart disease/angina. Methods: Nationally representative cross-sectional data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System years 2019 and 2021 were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the odds ratios of CVD and disease subsets for transgender women, transgender men, and gender nonconforming individuals compared to cisgender men and cisgender women. Results: In total, 2108 survey participants identified as transgender of which 35.0% were transgender women, 34.1% were transgender men, and 30.9% were gender nonconforming individuals. Compared to cisgender women, transgender men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.58) and cisgender men (aOR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.76-1.94) had increased odds of CVD. Transgender women (aOR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.07-4.73), transgender men (aOR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.06-3.65), gender nonconforming individuals (aOR: 2.47; 95% CI: 1.08-5.61), and cisgender men (aOR: 2.55; 95% CI: 2.37-2.73) all had higher odds of MI when compared to cisgender women. Transgender men (aOR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.01-4.16) and cisgender men (aOR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.94-2.21) had higher odds of heart disease/angina than cisgender women. Conclusion: This study revealed variability in self-reported CVD among transgender men, transgender women, and gender nonconforming individuals compared with cisgender men and cisgender women. This emphasizes the need for targeted research and interventions to improve health outcomes in these populations.