Does Behavior Pattern Influence Blood Pressure in the Current Cultural Context of Japan?

BACKGROUND: Type A behavior pattern has been presented as a risk for coronary heart disease and defined as a psychological-behavioral construct. This study aimed to identify the influence of type A behavior pattern on blood pressure in the current cultural context of Japan. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional design. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to community residents aged 40–59 yr in western Japan from Aug to Sep 2017. The data included participant’s demographic information (including socioeconomic variables); information related to blood pressure, type A behavior pattern, psychological factors, and health-related behaviors. Logistic regression was used to identify the influence of type A behavior pattern on systolic blood pressure after adjusting for behavioral, psychological, and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: The sample included 362 participants with a mean age of 51.5 years (SD = 5.96); 148 (41.2%) men. A logistic regression demonstrated that type A behavior pattern was negatively associated with systolic blood pressure (OR = 0.43, 95% CI [0.22, 0.83]) after adjusting for sex and age. Similar results were observed after adjusting for other covariates. CONCLUSION: There may be a negative association between type A behavior pattern and systolic blood pressure among adults living in the current cultural context of Japan.