“Heart disease is a pressing concern because despite many public health and biomedical advances over the last several decades it remains a leading source of mortality, morbidity, and disability in the United States and around the world,” says Richard Contrada, PhD, Core Faculty, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and Rutgers University Psychology Professor.
February is American Heart Month. Dr. Contrada is available for comment on the relationship between heart health and psychology, as well as the importance of spreading awareness about heart health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Psychological, mental health, and behavioral factors that appear to promote risk for heart disease, such as anxiety, depression, poor diet, and lack of exercise, may be caused or exacerbated by the threat of contracting COVID. Moreover, heart disease increases risk for severe disease if a person is infected by the virus. And some effects of COVID, such as inflammation, may be damaging to heart health,” says Dr. Contrada.
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