Fulltext

Relationship between coping styles and lipid profile among public university staff

Ariaratnam S 1 , Krishnapillai AD 2 , Daher AM 3 , Fadzil MA 4 , Razali S 5 , Omar SA 5 Show all authors , Keat NK 2 , Mat Nasir N 6 , Miskan M 2 , Md Yasin M 6 , Saw JA 7 , Durairajanayagam D 8 , Kaur G 9 , Che Bakar O 5 , Hashim NA 7

Affiliations 

  • 1 Discipline of Psychological and Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Selayang, Jalan Prima Selayang 7, 68100, Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia. [email protected]
  • 2 Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sg Besi, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sg Besi, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Discipline of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Sungai Buloh, Jalan Hospital, 47000, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 5 Discipline of Psychological and Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Sungai Buloh, Jalan Hospital, 47000, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 6 Discipline of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Selayang, Jalan Prima Selayang 7, 68100, Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 7 Discipline of Psychological and Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Selayang, Jalan Prima Selayang 7, 68100, Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 8 Discipline of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Sungai Buloh, Jalan Hospital, 47000, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 9 Secretariat of National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, c/o Institut Pengurusan Kesihatan, Jalan Rumah Sakit Bangsar, 59000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Lipids Health Dis, 2017 Feb 28;16(1):50.
PMID: 28245847 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-017-0438-1

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The scarcity of data about coping styles with a biochemical marker namely lipid profile, potentially associated with cardiovascular risk factors is most striking among professionals working in public university. Hence, this research aimed to investigate the relationship between coping styles and lipid profile comprising total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), HDL-cholesterol (high density lipoprotein-cholesterol) and LDL-cholesterol (Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol) among this group of professionals.

METHODS: A cross sectional survey was conducted among staff from a tertiary education centre. Subjects were contacted to ascertain their medical history. A total of 320 subjects were interviewed and 195 subjects were eligible and subsequently recruited on a suitable date for taking blood and administration of the questionnaires. The subjects completed questionnaires pertaining to demographic details and coping styles. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to measure the strength of association between lipid profile and coping styles.

RESULTS: Majority of the subjects were non-academic staff (60.0%), female (67.2%), Malay (91.8%), married (52.3%) and educated until Diploma level (34.9%). Academic staff scored significantly higher mean scores in task-oriented coping styles (Mean = 64.12). Non-academic staff scored significantly higher mean scores in emotion (Mean = 48.05) and avoidance-oriented coping styles (Mean = 57.61). Malay subjects had significantly higher mean scores in emotion (Mean = 47.14) and avoidance-oriented coping styles (Mean = 55.23). Non-malay subjects (Mean = 66.00) attained significantly higher mean scores in task-oriented coping styles. Single/divorced/widowed individuals scored significantly higher mean scores in emotion (Mean = 48.13) and avoidance-oriented coping styles (Mean = 56.86). There was a significant negative correlation between TC (r = -0.162) and LDL (r = -0.168) with avoidance-oriented coping styles (p = 0.023, p = 0.019 respectively).

CONCLUSION: Avoidance-oriented coping style was more likely to engender favourable lipid profile. Hence, assessment of coping styles would certainly assist health care practitioners in predicting subjects who would be at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Similar publications