Optimistic Attitudes Protect Against Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis in Healthy Middle-Aged Women

• DOI: 10.1097/01.psy.0000139999.99756.a5
• Publication Date: 2004-09-22T18:32:58Z
• Authors: Karen A. Matthews; Katri Räikkönen; Kim Sutton-Tyrrell; Lewis H. Kuller
• Keywords: Pessimism; Quartile; Intima-media thickness

Objective: Optimistic people report a higher quality of life, engage in more active coping and adopt health-promoting behaviors than low optimism, ie, pessimism. We evaluated whether pessimists are likely to show progression carotid disease optimists. Methods: A total 209 middle-aged healthy premenopausal women enrolled an epidemiological study cardiovascular risk factors had scans 10.4 years 13.5 later when they were at least 5 postmenopausal. Women completed the Life Orientation Test (LOT), measure pessimistic optimistic attitudes, entry time first scan. Analyses association LOT scores change intima medial thickness (IMT) across 3 years. Results: Multiple linear regression analyses showed that pessimism entry, greater increase mean IMT (β = 0.17, p < .007). comparison those lowest quartile (most optimistic) with other three quartiles most group less remaining (mean percent 1.3 6.0 for IMT, F 15.4, .001). who chronically scan (bottom both times) did (top times). Conclusions: mid-life pessimists. Test; thickness; HWS Healthy Study; DBP diastolic blood pressure; SBP systolic HDL-C high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; BMI body mass index; HT hormone therapy; ANCOVA covariance.