Research on Link between Health and Marital Communication, Conflict Highlighted at Sister to Sister Baltimore Event
Can the way you fight with your husband affect your heart health? Epidemiologist Dr. Elaine Eaker has found that female communication styles during disputes with their spouses can affect their health, including the incidence of heart disease.
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Dr. Elaine Eaker discussed how communication styles can affect the health of a woman's heart. |
Dr. Eaker was a featured speaker at Sister to Sister's recent Executive Women's Lunch in Baltimore, MD, where she presented key findings from a pioneering research study that examined whether marriage and marital strain are related to the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and mortality.
The study, which followed 3,681 men and women over a 10-year period, found that women who do not speak up during conflicts with their spouses or partners have four times the risk of dying from coronary heart disease when compared to women who do vent during fights. The study also found that men with wives who were upset by work were 2.7 times more likely to develop CHD.
Dr. Eaker's findings were published in the July issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. Her work was also recently featured in the Baltmore Sun newspaper.
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Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Winebar was the setting for the Baltimore Executive Women's Luncheon. |
The Sister to Sister Executive Women's Lunch was held on December 7 at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Winebar in Baltimore, MD. Sister to Sister extends its thanks Fleming's owner/operating partner, Richard Haskell. Fleming's restaurants have been non-smoking since inception. The restaurants' woman-friendly ambience was designed by the original owner's wife, Mrs. Fleming. Her desire was to create an environment that women could feel comfortable patronizing for business meetings or with friends that was unlike the typical smoke-filled "old boys' club" steakhouse.
Sister to Sister also extends a special thanks to the honorary chair of the event Mayor Sheila Dixon and the event co-chairs, Senator Catherine Pugh, Lynne Brick, and Sandy Hillman.
In addition to Dr. Eaker's presentation, special guest Monyka Berrocosa, founder of Women's Wine & Dine and a food and wine journalist who authored the book One Sip At A Time, led participants through a wine tasting of heart-healthy reds.
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