The Cardiovascular Cost of Silence: Relationships Between Self-silencing and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Midlife Women

Background Individuals engage in a range of behaviors to maintain close relationships. One behavior is self-silencing or inhibiting self-expression to avoid relationship conflict or loss. Self-silencing is related to poor mental health and self-reported physical health in women but has not been examined in relation to cardiovascular health, particularly using direct measures of the vasculature. Purpose To test associations between self-silencing and carotid atherosclerosis in midlife women; secondary analyses examined moderation by race/ethnicity. Methods Women (N = 290, ages 40-60) reported on self-silencing in intimate relationships and underwent physical measurements, blood draw, and ultrasound assessment of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque. Associations between self-silencing and mean IMT and plaque index (0, 1, >= 2) were tested in linear regression and multinomial logistic regression models, respectively, followed by interaction terms between self-silencing and race, adjusted for demographic factors, CVD risk factors, partner status, depression, physical activity, and diet. Results Forty-seven percent of women demonstrated carotid plaque. Greater self-silencing was related to increased odds of plaque index >= 2 (e.g., for each additional point, odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.16 [1.03-1.31], p = .012), relative to no plaque). Moderation analyses indicated that self-silencing was related to odds of plaque index >= 2 in non-white women (1.15 [1.05-1.26], p = .004), but there was no significant relationship in white women (1.01 [0.97-1.06], p = .550). No associations emerged for IMT. Conclusions Among midlife women, self-silencing was associated with carotid plaque, independent of CVD risk factors, depression, and health behaviors. Emotional expression in relationships may be important for women's cardiovascular health.