A comparative study of rural and urban patients with coronary heart disease on type a personality hostility health habits optimism perfectionism stress and coping styles

Abstract

The primary aim of the present investigation was to compare Rural and Urban Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) patients on psychosocial variables. Both the groups were compared on Type A Behaviour; Hostility; Total Health Habits and its dimensions viz. Eating Habits, Exercise Habits and Avoidance of Use of Alcohol and Drugs; Optimism; Total Perfectionism and its dimensions viz. Self Oriented Perfectionism, Other Oriented Perfectionism and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism; Coping Styles viz. Emotion Focused Coping and Problem Focused Coping; Stress dimensions viz. Perceived Stress and Stress Symptoms; Perceived Health Status; Perceived Happiness Status and Body Mass Index. Another aim of the study was to explore the gender differences in Rural and Urban Coronary Heart Disease patients on the above mentioned variables. The sample of the study comprised of 200 subjects i.e. 100 Rural Coronary Heart Diseases Patients (50 Males and 50 Females) and 100 Urban Coronary Heart Diseases Patients (50 Males and 50 Females).Subjects were in the age range of 40-60 years. Sample was collected from Out Patient Departments (OPD s) of government and private sector hospitals of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Only those Coronary Heart Disease Patients were included, who had not undergone any surgical interventions. Care was taken to select the sample from middle socio economic status. The entire sample was administered tests measuring viz. Type A Behaviour; Hostility; Total Health Habits; Optimism; Total Perfectionism; Coping Styles; Stress; Perceived Health Status; Perceived Happiness Status and Body Mass Index. newline