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Subjective health and fibrinogen in a healthy Chinese cohort
Author(s) -
Fielding Richard,
Lam Tai Hing,
Ho Sai Yin,
Janus Edward D.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
british journal of health psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 2044-8287
pISSN - 1359-107X
DOI - 10.1348/1359107042304533
Subject(s) - fibrinogen , medicine , cohort , odds ratio , marital status , population , blood pressure , demography , physical therapy , endocrinology , environmental health , sociology
Objectives: This study explores standard cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors in a healthy population sample, with low CVD prevalence and presumed higher social connectedness as potential mechanisms linking subjective health (SH) and physical health. Method: A population‐based, telephone‐sampled, cross‐sectional study recruited a healthy subset of 2280 Chinese adults who subsequently underwent a free medical examination. Serum total cholesterol, low‐density lipoproteins (LDL), high‐density lipoproteins (HDL), triglycerides, fibrinogen, fasting glucose, 2‐hour post‐load glucose, blood pressure and adiposity were compared between respondents reporting good SH and those reporting poor SH over the past 3 months, on a 4‐point, single‐item measure. Results: After adjustment for age, gender, education, exercise, marital and smoking status, only serum fibrinogen significantly differentiated the two groups. Respondents reporting Very poor or Poor SH had a significantly greater likelihood of raised mean fibrinogen levels compared with those reporting Good or Very good SH (Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.37, 95% CL 1.002–1.84, p < .05). Conclusions: There is a small but robust association between SH and fibrinogen in this low CVD prevalent population unexplained by known pre‐existing disease.