Distressed Personality Among Yemeni Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

An exploratory Study

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main health problem in the world with high mortality and disability, distressed
personality (type D personality) was developed as an emerging psychological risk factor in CAD. This study aimed to
explore the prevalence of distressed personality among patients with CAD and to investigate the association between
the demographic and clinical characteristic of Type D and non-Type D personality in a sample of 74 CAD Yemeni
patients who presented to Algamhouria Teaching Hospital and a private clinic in Aden between April 2017 and May
2018 diagnosed by consultant cardiologist. The Type D Scale-14 (DS14) and a demographic questionnaire were used
to assess distressed personality. 66.2% patients with CAD classified as distressed personality and its prevalence was
significantly higher in patients with CAD coming from Abian governorate (p < 0.05). Furthermore, hypertension and
DM were more in CAD patients with distressed personality. CAD patients who smoke cigarette were statistically
significant and were less likely to have distressed personality (p < 0.05).This is the first study in Aden shows that
distressed personality had a high prevalence in patients with CAD; reported high prevalence of hypertension and
diabetes mellitus. So those patients should be carefully diagnosed and behavioral cardiology should be further
developed in order to prevent consequences such as adverse cardiac events.