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Anger is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in low SES but not in higher SES men and women. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

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Abstract

We investigated the associations of anger and cynicism with carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and whether these associations were moderated by childhood or adulthood socioeconomic status (SES). The participants were 647 men and 893 women derived from the population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Childhood SES was measured in 1980 when the participants were aged 3–18. In 2001, adulthood SES, anger, cynicism, and IMT were measured. There were no associations between anger or cynicism and IMT in the entire population, but anger was associated with thicker IMT in participants who had experienced low SES in childhood. This association persisted after adjustment for a host of cardiovascular risk factors. It is concluded that the ill health-effects of psychological factors such as anger may be more pronounced in individuals who have been exposed to adverse socioeconomic circumstances early in life.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Academy of Finland (Grant no. 111056, 209514, and 209518 (LK-J), and 77841 and 210283 (OTR)), The Finnish Foundation of Cardiovascular Research and The Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Päivi Merjonen, Laura Pulkki-Råback, Sampsa Puttonen, Pertti Keskivaara & Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen

  2. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250, Helsinki, Finland

    Sampsa Puttonen

  3. The Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, 20520, Finland

    Markus Juonala

  4. LIKES Research Center, Keltavuokko 4 C, 40520, Jyvaskyla, Finland

    Risto Telama

  5. Department of Medicine, University of Turku, 20520, Turku, Finland

    Jorma Viikari

  6. Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Turku, P.O. Box 52, 20521, Turku, Finland

    Olli T. Raitakari

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  1. Päivi Merjonen
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  2. Laura Pulkki-Råback
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  9. Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen
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Correspondence to Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen.

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Merjonen, P., Pulkki-Råback, L., Puttonen, S. et al. Anger is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in low SES but not in higher SES men and women. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. J Behav Med 31, 35–44 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-007-9131-6

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