Researchers have found that fears related to heightened threats
of terrorism appear to be raising levels of a marker of blood vessel
inflammation, particularly among Israeli women. This change in blood
vessel activity is thought to pose a risk for cardiovascular disease.
A study revealed that women who expressed fears over the possibility
of suicide bombings were 70 percent more likely to experience elevated
levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which has been associated with
the increased likelihood of cardiovascular conditions such as heart
attack, stroke and artery disease.
In order to determine if the same results occurred among people
who were under the constant threat of random acts of violence, researchers
studied 1,152 healthy employed adults living in Israel who had been
living under a daily threat of attack since September 2000. The
participants were questioned on whether or not they had strong fears
in the following areas:
- Personal safety
- Being exposed to crowded places
- Fear of becoming a victim of an attack
Results from the study showed that women were more susceptible
to terrorism fears than men. This was apparent in the 26 percent
of women who expressed heightened states of fear compared to 11
percent of the men. It was also discovered that the women who experienced
high levels of fear to terrorism exhibited elevated levels of CRP.
The men, on the other hand, didn't exhibit any kind of relationship
in respect to their CRP levels.
Yahoo
News August 6, 2004
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