Personality and participation in mass health checkups among Japanese community-dwelling elderly.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between personality traits and participation in mass health checkups among Japanese community-dwelling elderly.


METHODS
A data set of 327 men and 519 women aged 70 years and over was used in the analysis. The NEO Five-Factor Inventory was administered to assess the "big five" personality traits: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.


RESULTS
In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender, age, number of years of education, living alone, presence of psychiatric diseases, presence of chronic diseases, and history of hospitalization during a 1-year period, openness was independently associated with participation in mass health checkups [odds ratio (OR)=1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08-2.12, P<.01 and OR=1.38, 95% CI=0.96-1.97, P=.07 for the middle and highest tertile, respectively]. No other domains of personality were related to participation in the checkups.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggest that older individuals high in openness are likely to take part in checkups for the elderly. Our findings could help improve the participation rate in mass health checkups for the prevention of long-term care dependence in later life.
Iwasa
Hajime
H
Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. hajimei@tmig.or.jp
Masui
Yukie
Y
Gondo
Yasuyuki
Y
Yoshida
Yuko
Y
Inagaki
Hiroki
H
Kawaai
Chieko
C
Kim
Hunkyung
H
Yoshida
Hideyo
H
Suzuki
Takao
T
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D044466:Asian People; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors