Personality and the use of cancer screenings. A systematic review

Personality and the use of cancer screenings - Results of the German National Cohort

Objective

To determine the association between personality characteristics and use of different cancer screenings.

Methods

We used data from the German National Cohort (NAKO; mean age was 53.0 years (SD: 9.2 years)) - a population-based cohort study. A total of 132,298 individuals were included in the analyses. As outcome measures, we used (self-reported): stool examination for blood (haemoccult test, early detection of bowel cancer), colonoscopy (screening for colorectal cancer), skin examination for moles (early detection of skin cancer), breast palpation by a doctor (early detection of breast cancer), x-ray examination of the breast ("mammography", early detection of breast cancer), cervical smear test, finger examination of the rectum (early detection of prostate cancer), and blood test for prostate cancer (determination of Prostate-Specific Antigen level). The established Big Five Inventory-SOEP was used to quantify personality factors. It was adjusted for several covariates based on the Andersen model. Unadjusted and adjusted multiple logistic regressions were computed.

Results

A higher probability of having a skin examination for moles, for example, was associated with a higher conscientiousness (OR: 1.07, p < 0.001), higher extraversion (OR: 1.03, p < 0.001), higher agreeableness (OR: 1.02, p < 0.001), lower openness to experience (OR: 0.98, p < 0.001) and higher neuroticism (OR: 1.07, p < 0.001) among the total sample. Depending on the outcome used, the associations slightly varied.

Conclusions

Particularly higher levels of extraversion, neuroticism and conscientiousness are associated with the use of different cancer screenings. Such knowledge may help to better understand non-participation in cancer screening examinations from a psychological perspective.

Eating Behaviors and Physical Activity versus the Big Five Personality Traits in Women with a Hereditary Predisposition to Breast or Ovarian Cancer

The Big Five personality traits-neuroticism, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness-represent continuous, individual features that affect a number of vital health aspects, including morbidity, self-reported health status, or lifestyle. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the eating behaviors and engagement in physical activity of women with a hereditary predisposition to breast or ovarian cancer and the Big Five personality traits. A total of 357 women, participants of 'The National Program for Families With Genetic/Familial High Risk for Cancer', were included in the study. In the healthy group, the following statistically significant predictors were found in variables: agreeableness-meal frequency (β = 0.151; p = 0.030); neuroticism-consumption of fruits and vegetables (β = -0.177; p = 0.016) and cereal products (β = -0.223; p = 0.002); openness to experience-consumption of plant-based fats (β = 0.141; p = 0.034) and physical activity (β = 0.153; p = 0.021). In the cancer group, the frequency of dairy consumption (β = 0.286; p = 0.003) and physical activity (β = 0.370; p = 0.000) were found to be statistically significant predictors for the openness to experience variable. Neuroticism is associated with less frequent consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as cereal products. Openness to experience was more often linked with a higher frequency of dairy consumption, plant-based fats, and physical activity. Women with breast or ovarian cancer and a higher openness to experience consumed dairy and engaged in physical activity more often than their peers with the remaining personality traits.

Using temperament and character dimensions (TCI) to analyze the personality profiles of adults and older adults with cancer managed in outpatient settings

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate profiles of personality evaluated by temperament and character dimensions (TCI) in 638 adult and older adult patients (CP) who had recently been diagnosed with breast, colon, lung, and other kinds of cancer (female and male subjects were assessed). Tests: Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Statistical analysis: cluster K-means analysis for personality traits.

Results

Two different personality profiles emerged: "Low self-determination and pessimism" (Profile 1) and "Self-determination and self-caring (medium)" (Profile 2). The following significant differences were observed in the TCI dimensions between the two profiles: Temperament-Novelty-Seeking (NS) (p < 0.001); Harm-Avoidance (HA) (p < 0.001); Reward-Dependence (RD) (p < 0.001); Persistence (PS) (p < 0.001); Character-Self-Directness (SD) (p < 0.001); Cooperativeness (C) (p > 0.001); Self-Transcendence (ST) (p < 0.001). No differences in the two profiles were found between adult and elderly patients. Profile 1 - "Low self-determination and pessimism": Patients with this profile present low resistance to frustration, poor search for novelty and solutions (NS), anxiety and pessimism (medium HA), high social attachment and dependence on the approval of others (medium-high RD), and low self-determination (PS) as temperament dimensions; and medium-low self-direction, low autonomy and ability to adapt (SD-medium-low), medium cooperativeness (C), and low self-transcendence (ST) as character dimensions. Profile 2 - "Self-determination and self-caring (medium)": Patients with this profile have resistance to frustration, ability to search for novelty and solutions (medium-NS), low anxiety and pessimism (HA), low social attachment and dependence on approval (medium-low-RD), and determination (medium-high PS) as dimensions of temperament; and autonomy and capacity for adaptation and self-direction (SD), capacity for cooperation (high-CO), and self-transcendence (medium-high-ST) as character dimensions.

Conclusion

Personality screening allows a better understanding of the difficulties of the individual patient and the planning of targeted psychotherapeutic interventions that promote quality of life and good adaptation to the disease course.

Personality traits and the risk of sensory impairment: Evidence from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

OBJECTIVE

Sensory impairment has pervasive effects on older individuals' quality of life and health. Although recent research found an association between personality traits and the risk of hearing and vision impairment, data on older adults is limited, and no study has examined dual-sensory impairment. Therefore, the present study examined the prospective relationship between personality traits and risk of hearing, vision, and dual sensory impairment among older adults.

METHOD

Participants were older adults aged 67 to 94 years (N = 829) from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Personality traits, demographic, clinical (body mass index, diabetes, and high blood pressure), and behavioral (smoking and physical activity) factors were assessed in 2013/2014. Objective measures of hearing and vision were obtained in 2021.

RESULTS

Controlling for demographic factors, higher conscientiousness was associated with a lower risk of hearing (OR: 0.81; 95%CI: 0.67-0.97, p = .022), vision (OR: 0.83, 95%CI: 0.71-0.97, p = .022) and dual sensory impairment (OR: 0.70, 95%CI: 0.56-0.86, p < .001). Higher openness (OR: 0.81, 95%CI: 0.68-0.97, p = .023) and neuroticism (OR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.62-0.88, p < .001) were associated with a lower risk of hearing impairment. Clinical and behavioral covariates partially accounted for these associations.

CONCLUSION

Consistent with other age-related health and cognitive outcomes, conscientiousness may be protective against sensory impairment. Surprisingly, neuroticism had a protective effect for hearing, but not vision. The findings provide novel evidence for an association between personality and sensory impairment among older adults.

A lack of financial planning predicts increased mortality risk: Evidence from cohort studies in the United Kingdom and United States

We investigate whether a lack of planning and future-orientation in financial behavior is associated with a higher mortality risk. Our evidence is based on two nationally representative cohorts of older people living in the United States (n = 11,478) and England (n = 11,298), where we compared individuals' self-reported planning horizons on spending and saving with government mortality records. Controlling for demographics, participants with a 1 SD shorter planning horizon had a 9% greater hazard of dying in the English sample (evaluated over 10 years), and a 7% greater hazard in the US sample (over 22 years). These differences in mortality risk could not be explained by variation in respondent's life expectancy, their financial circumstances or a range of other observable covariates. Similar results are found for self-reported health, with the positive association between longer planning horizons and health strongest for those with fewest financial resources.

Experience of Pain and Unpleasantness during Mammography Screening: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Roles of Emotional, Cognitive, and Personality Factors

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most frequent cause of malignant tumors among women worldwide. Its successful prevention depends on the degree of participation in screening programs, which can be influenced by psychological factors, including fear.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement. Twenty-six healthy women aged 50-69 years took part in this study, all of whom were summoned for routine mammography screening and were randomly selected. Prior mammography screening, breast pain intensity, unpleasantness (visual analog scale), and psychological (catastrophizing, state anxiety, and fear of pain) and personality (neuroticism, psychoticism, and extraversion) variables were evaluated. Pain, unpleasantness, and state anxiety were further evaluated pre- and post-mammography screening.

RESULTS

During the mammography screening, pain and unpleasantness levels were higher than those observed pre- and post-screening. Residual unpleasantness remained post-screening. State anxiety was positively associated with pain, and psychoticism with unpleasantness, as reported by participants during the mammography screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety levels influence the pain experienced in association with the mammography procedure. Women subjected to mammography screenings might benefit from relaxation strategies aimed at reducing anxiety to pre-mammography levels and, by extension, pain and unpleasantness during mammography. The inclusion of these strategies in breast cancer prevention campaigns could improve the rates of mammography reattendance, and therefore, benefit cancer prevention efforts.

Personality-related and psychosocial correlates of sick leave days in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings of a representative survey

Background

The aim of our study was to assess the personality-related and psychosocial correlates of sick leave days in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We used data from a representative online-survey covering the general German adult population (data collection: mid-March 2022). We restricted our sample to full-time employed individuals aged 18 to 64 years (n = 1,342 individuals). Sick leave days in the preceding 12 months served as outcome measure. Validated and established tools were used to quantify personality characteristics and psychosocial factors (such as the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale or the De Jong Gierveld loneliness tool). Negative binomial regression models were used.

Results

After adjusting for various sociodemographic and health-related factors, regressions showed that a higher number of sick leave days was associated with lower levels of conscientiousness (IRR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.97), higher levels of openness to experience (IRR: 1.19, 1.04–1.35), less coronavirus anxiety (IRR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.86-0.93), and more depressive symptoms (IRR: 1.06, 1.02–1.11).

Conclusion

After adjusting for various sociodemographic and health-related factors, our study showed an association between personality-related and psychosocial factors with sick leave days. More research is required to clarify the underlying pathways.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-022-00980-6.

Etiology of Psychiatric Disorders: Lay Beliefs and the Role of Gender, Field of Study and Personality Traits

In the present study, we recruited a large sample (N = 595) of highly educated participants to assess which causal variables they considered as more important in the etiology of two diagnostically unlabeled cases of psychiatric disorders. The first clinical case described a patient with early schizophrenia whereas the second clinical case described a patient with conversion disorder. We aimed at ascertaining if participants' gender, field of study (scientific vs. humanistic), and personality traits influenced their causal beliefs. Based on the scores assigned to both the clinical cases, participants believed that current life stressors were the most important etiological variable and that adverse early experiences were not an important causal factor in anyone of the two clinical cases. Regardless of their field of study, women perceived the loss of a loved one as a relevant variable in the etiology of conversion disorder. Participants' beliefs about the etiology of early schizophrenia varied with their field of study. Compared to participants studying humanities, those studying scientific disciplines attributed more importance to organic causes and less importance to unconscious conflict and early traumatic experiences. Overall, the role of personality traits in influencing causal beliefs was negligible. Public education about the causes of psychopathology is necessary to optimize actual usage of mental health services and treatment choice for psychiatric disorders.

The Big Five personality traits and regularity of lifetime dental visit attendance: evidence of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Background

Regular dental visits are essential for the prevention, early detection and treatment of worldwide highly prevalent oral diseases. Personality traits were previously associated with treatment compliance, medication adherence and regular doctor visits, however, the link between personality traits and regular dental visit attendance remains largely unexplored. Thus, the objective of this study is to clarify this link.

Methods

Data (wave 7) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were used, focusing on Germany (n = 2822). Personality was assessed using the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10). Regular dental visits were assessed. Multiple logistic regressions were used, adjusting for various covariates.

Results

Majority of the participants (84%) reported to attend regular dental visits during lifetime. Regularity of lifetime dental visit attendance was positively and significantly associated with increased extraversion [OR 1.13, 95% CI (1.01–1.26)], increased conscientiousness [OR 1.26, 95% CI (1.10–1.44)], and increased openness to experience [OR 1.12, 95% CI (1.01–1.26)]. However, there was a lack of association with agreeableness and neuroticism. Moreover, the outcome measure was positively associated with younger age, being female, born in Germany, being married, higher education, being retired (compared to being homemaker), whereas it was not associated with obesity or chronic diseases.

Conclusions

Identification of personality traits that are associated with regular dental visits can support prevention, screening and clinical management of oral diseases. Further research in this field may facilitate the development and increase the incorporation of individualized concepts to enhance patient compliance and attendance, and thus the provision of oral and dental care services.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40520-021-02051-2.

Relationship between personality factors and frailty. A systematic review

PURPOSE

To date, some empirical studies showed a link between personality factors and frailty. Nevertheless, a systematic review is lacking synthesizing the current evidence. Consequently, the purpose of this review was to fill this gap in knowledge based on observational studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL) were searched. Moreover, a hand search was conducted. Observational studies focusing on the association between personality and frailty were included, whereas disease-specific studies were excluded. Data referring to methods, characteristics of the sample and key findings were extracted. The NIH tool was used to assess study quality/risk of bias. Two reviewers performed study selection, extracted the data and conducted the quality assessment.

RESULT

In sum, five (mostly longitudinal) studies were included in the final synthesis. Mainly based on large, nationally representative cohorts, these studies point to an association between personality and frailty. More precisely, they mainly point to a link between low conscientiousness as well as high neuroticism and increased frailty levels. The quality of the studies included was quite high.

CONCLUSIONS

This knowledge may assist in identifying individuals at risk for increased frailty levels (i.e., particularly individuals with low conscientiousness and high neuroticism). Efforts to increase conscientiousness and reduce neuroticism may assist in postponing frailty. Future studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Prospero registration number: CRD42020193100.