ALEXITHYMIA AND RISK OF DEATH IN MIDDLE-AGED MEN

We prospectively examined the association between alexithymia and risk of death over an average follow-up time of nearly 5.5 years in 42- to 60-year-old men (N=2297) participating in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart D isease Risk Factor Study (KIHD). Alexithymia, impairment in identifica tion, processing, and verbal expression of inner feelings, was assesse d by the validated Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) In age-adjusted sur vival analyses, men in the highest alexithymia quintile had a twofold greater risk of all-cause death (p<0.001) and a threefold greater risk of death from accidents, injury, or violence (p<0.02) relative to the men in the three lowest alexithymia quintiles. There was little evide nce for confounding by behavioral factors (smoking, alcohol consumptio n, physical activity), physiological risk factors (LDL, HDL, body mass index, hypertension), socioeconomic status, marital status, perceived health, prior diseases and diagnoses, depressive symptoms or social c onnections. Consistent and even stronger associations between alexithy mia and all-cause death were found in a healthy subgroup (N=1650). Why difficulties in dealing with emotions associate with increased mortal ity remains unclear. Our findings suggest that the association is inde pendent from the effect of well-known behavioral, biological, and psyc hosocial risk factors. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.