title: Psychosocial factors at home and at work and four-year progression in intima media thickness.
abstract: This study analyzed the relationship between psychosocial factors and progression in intima media thickness (IMT). In 1998 and 2002, 95 healthy participants underwent a clinical examination, including ultrasound of the arteria carotis communis (ACC). IMT progression in women was 0.033 mm/year (SD=0.033) and in men 0.048 mm/year (SD=0.033). For cohabiting women as opposed to single women, the means for total IMT progression over the 4 years were, respectively, 0.137 (SE=0.019) and 0.016 (SE=0.048) mm. For women with above average as opposed to below average mean scores of effort, IMT progression were 0.149 (SE=0.026) and 0.098 (SE=0.024) mm, respectively. For men without children as opposed to men with children, mean scores for IMT progression were 0.231 (SE=0.029) and 0.137 (SE=0.028) mm, respectively. For men above average as opposed to those below average, scores of effort-reward imbalance IMT progression were 0.216 (SE=0.030) and 0.155 (SE=0.027) mm, respectively. Adjustment for confounders did not change the results significantly. We found that psychosocial factors were independent significant predictors of IMT progression. The associations were different between the genders.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical Physiology, Hillerød Hospital. Hillerød. nael@fa.dk
authors.forename: Nanna Hurwitz
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Eller
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Netterstrøm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography