Association analysis between personality and sub-health among urban residents aged over 14 years in 4 Chinese provinces

Abstract

To explore the direct relationship between personality (PN) and sub-health status (SHS) and their indirect association mediated by frustration quotient (FQ) and stress event (SE). A multiple-stage stratified sampling method was used to choose the participants, and a total of 4517 eligible urban residents were selected.ANCOVA was used to analyze the independent association between personality and SHS after adjusting the demographic characteristics and lifestyle.A structural equation model was used to analyze the associations among personality, FQ, SE and SHS.Bootstrap method was used to test the direct and indirect association between personality and SHS. Personality was independently associated with total sub-health (F=75.913, P < 0.001), physical sub-health (F=23.618, P < 0.001), mental sub-health (F=101.993, P < 0.001) and social sub-health (F=48.757, P < 0.001).The urban residents with the personalities characterized by anger suppression, anxiety and irritability, and impatience and competitiveness had significantly lower health scores than those with a mature and steady personality (P < 0.05).Personality was associated with FQ and SE, and the indirect association between personality and physical sub-health was mainly mediated by FQ and SE (β=-0.110).Personality showed more a direct association (β=-0.172) with mental sub-health and a slightly less indirect association (β=-0.126) with mental sub-health.Personality showed a more indirect association (β=-0.113) with social SHS and slightly less direct association (β=-0.082) with social sub-health. A mature and steady personality may help to promote the general health level, while the personalities of anger suppression, anxiety and irritability, impatience and competitiveness can be associated with the occurrence of sub-health.Building a mature and steady personality has positive effects on the health in general of an individual.