BMJ  2006;332:1359 (10 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.38833.479560.80 (published 10 May 2006)

Research

Personality, lifestyle, and risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer: follow-up of population based cohort

¹ Divisions of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, and Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, USA, ² Department of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Germany

Abstract

Objective To study the relation between measures of personality and risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer in a large cohort.

Design Follow-up of population based cohort.

Setting Heidelberg, Germany.

Participants 5114 women and men aged 40-65 in 1992-5.

Main outcome measures Psychological traits assessed by several standardised personality questionnaires in 1992-5, related to cause of death (to 2002-3) or reported incidence of cardiovascular diseases and cancer (validated by treating doctors). Relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals) for combined morbidity and mortality according to five important personality traits were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.

Results During median follow-up of 8.5 years, 257 participants died and 72 were diagnosed with a heart attack, 62 with stroke, and 240 with cancer (morbidity and mortality combined). A high internal locus of control over disease was associated with a decreased risk of myocardial infarction (adjusted relative risk for an increase of 1 SD = 0.75; 95% confidence interval 0.58 to 0.96). An increase of 1 SD in time urgency was associated with a decreased risk of cancer (adjusted relative risk 0.83; 0.73 to 0.95). Other major personality traits—anger control, psychoticism, and symptoms of depression—were not consistently associated with myocardial infarction, stroke, or cancer.

Conclusion Internal locus of control over disease and time urgency seem to be associated with reduced risk for common chronic diseases, probably by affecting unmeasured health related behaviour. The other personality traits assessed had no major impact on cardiovascular disease and cancer.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Some personality traits may affect risk of chronic disease
BMJ 2006 332: 0. [Full Text]

Organisational downsizing, sickness absence, and mortality: 10-town prospective cohort study

Jussi Vahtera, Mika Kivimäki, Jaana Pentti, Anne Linna, Marianna Virtanen, Pekka Virtanen, and Jane E Ferrie
BMJ 2004 328: 555. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Psychological stress and cardiovascular disease: empirical demonstration of bias in a prospective observational study of Scottish men • Commentary: Psychosocial factors and healthstrengthening the evidence base

John Macleod, George Davey Smith, Pauline Heslop, Chris Metcalfe, Douglas Carroll, Carole Hart, and John Lynch
BMJ 2002 324: 1247. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Chida, Y., Steptoe, A. (2009). The association of anger and hostility with future coronary heart disease: a meta-analytic review of prospective evidence.. J Am Coll Cardiol 53: 936-946 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Gale, C. R., Batty, G. D., Deary, I. J. (2008). Locus of Control at Age 10 Years and Health Outcomes and Behaviors at Age 30 Years: The 1970 British Cohort Study. Psychosom. Med. 70: 397-403 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• White, V. M., English, D. R., Coates, H., Lagerlund, M., Borland, R., Giles, G. G. (2007). Is Cancer Risk Associated With Anger Control and Negative Affect? Findings From a Prospective Cohort Study. Psychosom. Med. 69: 667-674 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Another dimension of strategy to prevent chronic diseases

Takeharu Koga, et al.
bmj.com, 14 May 2006 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>