Publication: Relationship between coping styles and lipid profile among public university staff
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC
Abstract
Background: The scarcity of data about coping styles with a biochemical marker namely lipid profile, potentially
associated with cardiovascular risk factors is most striking among professionals working in public university. Hence,
this research aimed to investigate the relationship between coping styles and lipid profile comprising total
cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), HDL-cholesterol (high density lipoprotein-cholesterol) and LDL-cholesterol (Low
density lipoprotein-cholesterol) among this group of professionals.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among staff from a tertiary education centre. Subjects were
contacted to ascertain their medical history. A total of 320 subjects were interviewed and 195 subjects were eligible
and subsequently recruited on a suitable date for taking blood and administration of the questionnaires. The
subjects completed questionnaires pertaining to demographic details and coping styles. Pearson’s correlation
coefficient was used to measure the strength of association between lipid profile and coping styles.
Results: Majority of the subjects were non-academic staff (60.0%), female (67.2%), Malay (91.8%), married (52.3%)
and educated until Diploma level (34.9%). Academic staff scored significantly higher mean scores in task-oriented
coping styles (Mean = 64.12). Non-academic staff scored significantly higher mean scores in emotion (Mean = 48.05)
and avoidance-oriented coping styles (Mean = 57.61). Malay subjects had significantly higher mean scores in
emotion (Mean = 47.14) and avoidance-oriented coping styles (Mean = 55.23). Non-malay subjects (Mean = 66.00)
attained significantly higher mean scores in task-oriented coping styles. Single/divorced/widowed individuals scored
significantly higher mean scores in emotion (Mean = 48.13) and avoidance-oriented coping styles (Mean = 56.86).
There was a significant negative correlation between TC (r = −0.162) and LDL (r = −0.168) with avoidance-oriented
coping styles (p = 0.023, p = 0.019 respectively).
Conclusion: Avoidance-oriented coping style was more likely to engender favourable lipid profile. Hence, assessment
of coping styles would certainly assist health care practitioners in predicting subjects who would be at a greater risk of
developing cardiovascular diseases
Description
Keywords
Coping styles, Lipid profile, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, Cardiovascular disease, Biochemical marker