Are There Sociodemographic-Specific Associations of Coping With Heart Disease and Diabetes Incidence?

• Published in: Health psychology 2024-10, Vol.43 (10), p.757-767
• Main Authors: Ng, Amanda E., Kubzansky, Laura D., Guimond, Anne-Josée, Trudel-Fitzgerald, Claudia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Associations; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Coping Behavior; Coping strategies; Demographic Characteristics; Diabetes; Disengagement; Female; Health behavior; Heart; Heart Disorders; Human; Male; Midlife; Psychological aspects; Psychological distress; Psychological well being; Sex differences; Social factors; Sociodemographics; Variability
• ISSN: 0278-6133; 1930-7810; 1930-7810
• DOI: 10.1037/hea0001386

Objective: Psychological factors, including psychological distress and well-being, have been associated with cardiometabolic disease risk. Here, we examined whether a psychological process, namely how individuals cope with stressors, relates to such risk, which has been understudied. Method: During 2004-2006, 2,142 participants without heart disease and diabetes from the Midlife in the U.S. study completed a validated coping inventory assessing six strategies (positive reinterpretation and growth, active coping, planning, focus on and venting of emotion, denial, and behavioral disengagement) and relevant covariates. As a proxy for coping flexibility, participants were also classified as having lower, moderate, or greater variability in their use of these strategies. Heart disease and diabetes were documented in 2013-2015. Logistic regressions modeled adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of developing heart disease and diabetes, separately, with coping exposures. Results: In sociodemographic-adjusted models, greater use of adaptive strategies predicted lower diabetes risk (e.g., positive reinterpretation and growth: AOR = 0.83; 95% CI [0.72, 0.96]); estimates were weaker for maladaptive strategies, and all strategies were unrelated to heart disease. All associations for coping variability were null. In secondary analyses, greater use of adaptive strategies predicted lower heart disease risk in more educated participants only (e.g., active coping: AOR = 0.71; 95% CI [0.55, 0.92]) and lower diabetes risk in females only (e.g., planning: AOR = 0.75; 95% CI [0.61, 0.91]). Results were maintained additionally adjusting for health, behavioral, and social factors. Conclusions: Findings suggest sex and education differences in coping's association with heart disease and diabetes. Future studies should recognize adaptive strategies may be more potent for health among certain populations. Objetivo: Los factores psicológicos, incluyendo el malestar psicológico y el bienestar, se han asociado con el riesgo de enfermedad cardio metabólica. Aquí examinamos si un proceso psicológico, es decir, cómo los individuos afrontan los factores estresantes, se relaciona con dicho riesgo, algo que no ha sido suficientemente estudiado. Métodos: En 2004-2006, 2,142 participantes sin enfermedades cardíacas ni diabetes del estudio "Midlife in the U.S." completaron un inventario de afrontamiento validado que evaluaba seis estrategias (Reinterpretación y Crecimie