Self-Employed Women: Lower Heart Attack Risk?
Self-employed women may have a lower heart attack risk compared to those in salaried positions, according to a new UCLA study. Research indicates a correlation between self-employment and reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors for women, including lower rates of obesity, physical inactivity, and poor sleep. As an example, white women showed notable declines, while women of colour experienced similar health benefits. This groundbreaking research, published in BMC Public Health, unveils potential links between professional status and heart health.The study’s limitations prevent causal claims, but it opens doors for further exploration into the impact of self-employment on well-being, providing insights into different risk factors. News Directory 3 is committed to delivering the latest health findings. Discover what’s next in the realm of women’s health research.
Self-Employed Women May Have Lower Heart Attack Risk
Updated May 29, 2025
Women who are self-employed may face a substantially lower risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to salaried employees, according to a new study from UCLA. Teh research, which examined the relationship between self-employment and health outcomes across sex, race, and ethnicity, used biological and physical measures to assess CVD risk factors.
The study, led by Daniela Markovic and Dr. Jose Escarce of UCLA, revealed several negative associations between self-employment and CVD risk factors.In other words, self-employment correlated with lower rates of specific risk factors.
Among white women, self-employment was linked to:
- A 7.4 percentage point decline in obesity.
- A 7.0 percentage point decline in physical inactivity.
- A 9.4 percentage point decline in poor sleep duration.
For women of color, self-employment correlated with:
- A 6.7 percentage point decline in poor diet.
- A 7.3 percentage point decline in physical inactivity.
- An 8.1 percentage point decline in poor sleep duration.
White men who where self-employed experienced:
- A 6.5 percentage point decline in poor diet.
- A 5.7 percentage point decline in hypertension.
The researchers did not observe the same benefits among self-employed minority men. Thay suggest this may be due to higher barriers to entry and failure rates in thier businesses, as well as limited access to financial capital and mentorship.
A Cross-sectional Analysis of the Association Between Self-Employment, Racial and Ethnic Minority Status, Sex and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among a Nationally Representative Sample, BMC Public Health (2025).
The study’s cross-sectional design prevents the researchers from making causal claims. they also acknowledge that unmeasured characteristics, such as personality traits and coping mechanisms, could influence both the decision to become self-employed and the growth of CVD risk factors. The study also could not differentiate between individuals who chose self-employment and those who were forced into it.
What’s next
Future research could explore the reasons behind these associations and investigate whether interventions promoting self-employment could improve cardiovascular health, particularly among women.