Parental Incarceration Associated With Higher Risk Of Cardiovascular Conditions

Having an incarcerated parent during childhood is associated with a higher risk that as an adult the child will develop hypertension and cardiovascular disease in middle age. The risk of hypertension is 33% higher, and the risk is 60% higher for elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP, a marker of inflammation used to estimate risk of future coronary events).

Hypertension affected 25% of those affected by parental incarceration, and about 18% of those not affected. Over time, the prevalence of hypertension increased by 18.9% among those affected by hypertension and 13.4% among those unaffected . . .