Cited by 120Cardiac Health and Mental HealthPersonality Traits and PsychologyCardiovascular Health and Risk Factors

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

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Stürmer, Til, Hasselbach, Petra, Amelang, Manfred·2006·BMJ

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.

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  1. Johansen C, Hansen D, Olsen J. Cancer incidence in parents who lost a child. Cancer 2002;95:2237-42.

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Authors
Stürmer, T., Hasselbach, P., & Amelang, M.
Affiliations
Heidelberg University (DE)
Venue
BMJ
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2006-05-10
Volume
332
Issue
7554
Pages
1359
ISSN
  • 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
  • 0959-8138
  • 1468-5833
OpenAlex
W2117664379
Cited by
120
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 10
FWCI
6.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMJ (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
  • UNC Libraries
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
Keywords
personality traits, cardiovascular disease, cancer risk, internal locus of control, time urgency, myocardial infarction, stroke, depression, psychoticism, anger management, lifestyle, chronic disease risk, mortality
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cause of Death, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Myocardial Infarction, Neoplasms, Personality, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Cohort Studies, Risk Assessment

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