BACKGROUND: France has a substantially lower level of premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) relative to its comparators. Compared with Northern Ireland, France has one-half the rate, despite having a similar cardiovascular risk profile to Northern Ireland. In this prospective longitudinal study the psychosocial risk hypothesis for CVD was tested. METHOD: A cohort of 9758 men (7359 in France and 2399 in Northern Ireland) aged 50-59 years who were initially free of any CVD were recruited. At baseline the subjects completed a psychosocial questionnaire, measuring hostility, depression, social support, and the Type A behaviour pattern. At 5-years follow-up their clinical status was determined. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis indicated that, contrary to prediction, France had a substantially more negative psychosocial risk profile than Northern Ireland. The psychosocial risk factors were not successful at predicting at 5-years follow-up the hard clinical endpoint of definite fatal/non-fatal myocardial infarction. In the case of the softer clinical endpoint, angina pectoris/unstable angina, only depression predicted outcome with a small effect size. CONCLUSION: The findings provide little support for the psychosocial risk hypothesis. The psychosocial risk profile was more negative in France, the opposite of that predicted. The finding of a relationship between depression and angina may reflect a tendency for individuals who respond negatively on mood state to report more cardiac symptoms irrespective of physical disease state.
BACKGROUND: France has a substantially lower level of premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) relative to its comparators. Compared with Northern Ireland, France has one-half the rate, despite having a similar cardiovascular risk profile to Northern Ireland. In this prospective longitudinal study the psychosocial risk hypothesis for CVD was tested. METHOD: A cohort of 9758 men (7359 in France and 2399 in Northern Ireland) aged 50-59 years who were initially free of any CVD were recruited. At baseline the subjects completed a psychosocial questionnaire, measuring hostility, depression, social support, and the Type A behaviour pattern. At 5-years follow-up their clinical status was determined. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis indicated that, contrary to prediction, France had a substantially more negative psychosocial risk profile than Northern Ireland. The psychosocial risk factors were not successful at predicting at 5-years follow-up the hard clinical endpoint of definite fatal/non-fatal myocardial infarction. In the case of the softer clinical endpoint, angina pectoris/unstable angina, only depression predicted outcome with a small effect size. CONCLUSION: The findings provide little support for the psychosocial risk hypothesis. The psychosocial risk profile was more negative in France, the opposite of that predicted. The finding of a relationship between depression and angina may reflect a tendency for individuals who respond negatively on mood state to report more cardiac symptoms irrespective of physical disease state.
Authors: Richard S Surwit; James D Lane; David S Millington; Haoyue Zhang; Mark N Feinglos; Sharon Minda; Rhonda Merwin; Cynthia M Kuhn; Raymond C Boston; Anastasia Georgiades Journal: Psychosom Med Date: 2009-06-26 Impact factor: 4.312
Authors: Serina A Neumann; Karl J Maier; Jessica P Brown; Paul P Giggey; Denise C Cooper; Stephen J Synowski; Layne A Goble; Edward C Suarez; Shari R Waldstein Journal: Int J Behav Med Date: 2011-03
Authors: K M Appleton; J V Woodside; D Arveiler; B Haas; P Amouyel; M Montaye; J Ferrieres; J B Ruidavets; J W G Yarnell; F Kee; A Evans; A Bingham; P Ducimetiere; C C Patterson Journal: Ann Behav Med Date: 2016-08
Authors: Piroska Balog; Imre Janszky; Hua Chen; Beatrix Rafael; Tomas Hemmingsson; Krisztina D László Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2019-12-09 Impact factor: 2.692