An association of hostility with awareness of health and other psychosocial factors in an open female population aged 25–64 years in Novosibirsk

Objective: To explore the prevalence of hostility (Hs) and its relation to awareness of health, family and job stress, and other psychosocial factors in a Novosibirsk female population aged 25–64 years.

Patients and methods. A random representative sample of 870 women aged 25–64 years from one of the Novosibirsk districts was surveyed within the third screening of the WHO «MONICA-psychosocial» (MOPSY) program in 1994. The response rate was 72.5%. Hs was studied using the MOPSY test (the subscale «Hostility»). Awareness and attitude towards health and preventive measures were assessed using the awareness and attitude towards health test. Chi-square test (χ2) was used to assess the statistical significance of differences between the groups.

Results. The prevalence of high Hs was 43.9%. Women with high Hs rated negatively their health more frequently, complained of health complaints more often, and had poor awareness of preventive methods, much smoking, and inadequate physical activity. High Hs was associated with personal anxiety, major depression, high vital exhaustion, low social support, high family and job stresses.

Conclusion. The prevalence of obvious Hs in a female population aged 25–64 years is high and it is associated with poor self-rated health, insufficient health care, and a large number of negative psychosocial factors.

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