CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN MIDDLE-AGED MEN - RELATION TO CONJUGAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND SOCIAL SUPPORT

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of conjugal c ircumstances and social support with carotid atherosclerosis. The subj ects were 212 men randomly selected from those (N = 4,853) aged 50-60 years, living in Kuopio and a nearby residental area in eastern Finlan d. Social network and support levels were assessed with a structured 3 4-item questionnaire. Conjugal circumstances were constituted by cohab ition or otherwise. Intima media thickness of the carotid artery (IMT) was chosen to designate atherosclerosis, and determined by quantitati ve B-mode ultrasonography. The analyses showed that the men living alo ne had greater common carotid (p = 0.008) and carotid bifurcation (p = 0.011) IMT values than their cohabiting counterparts. The differences remained significant even when the confounding factors (age, health s tatus and education level) and potential intervening factors (saturate d fat consumption and smoking) were allowed for. Of the social support subindices, strong adequacy of emotional support (p < 0.001) and of t he social network subindices, strong social anchorage (p = 0.031) were correlated to increased common carotid IMT. The present data suggest that conjugal circumstances are an independent social factor predictin g carotid atherosclerosis.