8 - Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4

CENTER
From page 1

diovascular risk.
Older studies have shown that
environmental factors in a per-
son's neighborhood are related to
his or her risk of developing car-
diovascular disease.
Researchers consider a variety
of factors about the neighborhood,
including its beauty, walking envi-
ronment, overall safety and gym
quality. Researchers also study the
availability of healthy food and the
social atmosphere of the neighbor-
hood.
The second study focuses on
the link between genetics and
environmental factors to blood
pressure control. It examines why
some medications affect people
differently.
The third study, led by James
Jackson, the director of the Insti-

tute for Social Research, and
Elizabeth Young, a. professor in
the Psychiatry Department, looks
at the roles of coping mechanisms
with stress and how they relate to
heart disease.
Because many patients become
depressed after a heart attack
or other heart troubles, these
mechanisms are often employed
by patients as a way to deal with
depression.
Coping behaviors include eat-
ing more than usual, smoking
and drinking heavily. There is no
documented difference in coping
behaviors between races.
However, epidemiological stud-
ies have shown that "despite high
levels of racism, stress, and proba-
bly lower economic positions, Afri-
can Americans have lower rates
of depression than whites," Young
said. "The question is why they
have lower rates when they have
higher rates of stress."
One reason might be that Afri-

can Americans may be using cop-
ing habits more than white people.
Data shows a higher rate of obe-
sity in African Americans, so they
might "just have more stress in
their lives," Young said.
The study also looks at the life-
style changes patients are asked
to make following heart trouble.
These changes often eliminate a
patient's coping mechanisms.
The center will focus on a few
pilot studies too, like the role
assimilation has on cardiovascu-
lar risk factors among Hispanic
people.
Another study looks at neigh-
borhood effects on cardiovascular
disease, specifically in Detroit.
Diez-Roux said she hopes the
center "will help us move beyond
simplistic explanations of these
differences, like saying 'It's just
genetics,' or 'It's just biological,' 1
and then work to develop better
ways to eliminate these differ-
ences."

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