Does harboring hostility hurt? Associations between hostility and pulmonary function in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the cross-sectional association between hostility and pulmonary function (PF) and its consistency across race/ethnicity-gender groups.


METHODS
Data were from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) cohort study (N=4,629). Participants were recruited from 4 metropolitan areas in the United States, ages 18-30 years at baseline in 1985-1986, approximately balanced across race/ethnicity (Black, White) and gender.


METHODS
Main outcome measures were percent predicted values for forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC).


RESULTS
In full-sample multiple linear regression analyses, each 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in hostility was associated with a 0.66% decrease in FEV-sub-1 (p=.0002) and a 0.60% decrease in FVC (p=.0006). This inverse association of hostility with PF remained after controlling for age, height, current socioeconomic status (SES), participant smoking status, and asthma and is more consistent than that of smoking and PF. In stratified analyses, each 1 SD increase in hostility predicted statistically significant reductions in PF for Black women, White women, and Black men. For White men, hostility showed no statistically significant relation with PF, although the pattern relating hostility to PF was similar to the pattern in the other three groups. Further, both of the post hoc three-way interaction terms for hostility, race/ethnicity, and gender predicting FEV-sub-1 and FVC were nonsignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
PF was inversely associated with hostility across race/ethnicity and gender, independent of age, height, current SES, smoking, and asthma. On the basis of these cross-sectional findings, the authors hypothesize that higher hostility will predict a more rapid decline in PF.
Jackson
Benita
B
Department of Psychology, Clark Science Center, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA. bjackson@email.smith.edu
Kubzansky
Laura D
LD
Cohen
Sheldon
S
Jacobs
David R
DR
Wright
Rosalind J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012137:Respiratory System; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States