Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine (Mar 2021)

An analysis of anxiety and selected aspects of personality in women with ischemic heart disease according to P.T. Costa and R. R. McCrae theory – The role of psychosocial factors in ischemic heart disease

  • Alicja Nasiłowska-Barud,
  • Tomasz Zapolski,
  • Małgorzata Barud,
  • Andrzej Wysokiński

DOI
https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/118430
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28, no. 1
pp. 107 – 113

Abstract

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Introduction Risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD) are very numerous and not fully defined. In addition to classic risk factors, different factors are also distinguished, among them psychological aspects chich have rarely been subject to detailed analyses. Objective The aim of study was an analysis of the anxiety structure, including the five factors of personality: neuroticism (NEU), extraversion (EXT), openness (OPE), agreeableness (AGR) and conscientiousness (CON), in women with IHD. Material and methods The study involved 140 women aged 37–74 years with IHD confirmed by coronary angiography. Psychological examination was conducted using R.B. Cattell’s IPAT Anxiety Scale and P.T. Costa and R.R. McCrae’s NEO-FFI Personality Inventory. Results The results obtained from the IPAT Anxiety Scale showed that the study group of 140 women with IHD had the correct level of internal integrity (Q3 – ). The dominant factor in the anxiety structure in 88.7% of subjects was neurotic tension (Q4 + ). A lack of sense of safety was indicated by 72.6% of subjects (L + ), 69.3% experienced a strong tendency to self-blame and experience a sense of guilt (O + ), and over 51.6% of women with IHD expressed decreased emotional stability (C – ). The level of general anxiety was high (GA=7.3). The analysis of the five factors of personality revealed that the dominant factors in the structure of personality of women with IHD were CON in 69.3%, AGR in 46.7% and EXT in 45.2%. NEU and OPE were moderately significant factors. Conclusions Women with IHD are characterised by a high level of anxiety, increased neurotic tension, decreased emotional stability, auto-aggression and a sense of danger and distrust. Women with IHD demonstrate a high level of factors, such as extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

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