Ideal cardiovascular health and psychosocial risk factors among Finnish female municipal workers.
OBJECTIVE
Ideal cardiovascular health has been defined by the American Heart Association as the absence of disease and the presence of seven key health factors and behaviours. However, little is known about the mental aspects associated with ideal cardiovascular health metrics. The objective of this study was to assess the relationships between psychosocial risk factors and ideal cardiovascular health metrics among Finnish women at municipal work units.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Finland among 732 female employees (mean±SD age 48±10 years) from ten work units in 2014. Ideal cardiovascular health metrics were evaluated with a physical examination, laboratory tests, medical history and self-administrated questionnaires. Psychosocial risk factors (social isolation, stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, hostility and type D personality) were assessed with core questions as suggested by the European Society of Cardiology.


RESULTS
The prevalence of having 5-7 ideal cardiovascular health metrics was 183 (25.0%), of whom 54.1% had at least one psychosocial risk factor. Anxiety (31.3%), work stress (30.7%) and type D personality (26.1%) were the most prevalent of the psychosocial risk factors. The prevalence of depressive symptoms ( p<0.001) and type D personality ( p=0.049) decreased linearly according to the sum of ideal cardiovascular health metrics after adjustment for age and years of education.


CONCLUSIONS
Even women with good cardiovascular health are affected by psychosocial risk factors at municipal work units. Although the association is possibly bidirectional, screening and treating depression and dealing with type D personality might be crucial in improving cardiovascular health among women.
1 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland.|2 Central Satakunta Health Federation of Municipalities, Finland.
Veera
V
Veromaa
3 Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.|4 Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, FinlandÕ) Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.|5 Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Hannu
H
Kautiainen
6 Department of Psychiatry, Hospital District of Satakunta, Finland.
Ulla
U
Saxen
7 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Turku and Turku, University Hospital, Finland.
Kirsi
K
Malmberg-Ceder
1 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland.
Elina
E
Bergman
1 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland.|2 Central Satakunta Health Federation of Municipalities, Finland.
Päivi E
PE
Korhonen
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014931:Women, Working / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Ideal cardiovascular health; depression; psychosocial risk factors; type D personality; women