title: Disgust sensitivity is not associated with health in a rural Bangladeshi sample.
abstract: Disgust can be considered a psychological arm of the immune system that acts to prevent exposure to infectious agents. High disgust sensitivity is associated with greater behavioral avoidance of disease vectors and thus may reduce infection risk. A cross-sectional survey in rural Bangladesh provided no strong support for this hypothesis. In many species, the expression of pathogen- and predator-avoidance mechanisms is contingent on early life exposure to predators and pathogens. Using childhood health data collected in the 1990s, we examined if adults with more infectious diseases in childhood showed greater adult disgust sensitivity: no support for this association was found. Explanations for these null finding and possible directions for future research are discussed.
authors: Environmental Health Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Mícheál
authors: M
authors: de Barra
authors: Environmental Microbiology Lab, ICDDR,B, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: M Sirajul
authors: MS
authors: Islam
authors: Environmental Health Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Val
authors: V
authors: Curtis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012424:Rural Population