THE EFFECTS OF ANGER MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL CONTACT ON RISK OF MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN TYPE-AS AND TYPE-BS

The risk of myocardial infarction (MI) associated with Type A behaviou r, anger management and social contact was examined using a retrospect ive case-control design. Binary multiple regression analyses were used to compare 206 male and 67 female MI cases with 454 male and 316 fema le controls. To examine the potential moderating role of sex and Type A behaviour, moderated and subgroup regressions were run. Type A behav iour was significantly more prevalent in cases than controls. MI risk was further increased in males who combined Type A behaviour and aggre ssive expression of anger. In females MI risk was associated with the combination of Type A behaviour and not expressing anger. In addition female cases were significantly less likely than controls to discuss t heir anger, and reported fewer available social contacts. Discussion o f results includes consideration of the problems generated by the retr ospective case-control design.