HOSTILITY AND HEALTH STATUS IN THE ADULT POPULATION OF GJILAN REGION, KOSOVO

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the association of hostility with self-reported health status in the adult population of Gjilan region in Kosovo, a transitional country in the Western Balkans which is striving for international recognition. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gjilan region, Kosovo, in 2014 including a representative sample of 867 primary health care users (419 males and 448 females; overall mean age: 54.2±10.5 years; overall response rate: 87%). Hostility was assessed with the 8-item Cynical Distrust Scale. Self-reported health status was measured on a 5-point scale which was subsequently dichotomized into “good” vs. “poor” health. Demographic and socioeconomic data were also collected. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association of hostility with self-reported health status. RESULTS: In this representative sample of primary health care users in Kosovo, overall, 80.5% of participants perceived their health status as “good” compared with 19.5% of individuals who perceived their health status as “poor”. Upon multivariable adjustment for demographic factors and socioeconomic characteristics, there was evidence of a strong and significant association between the upper tertile of hostility score and poor self-perceived health: OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.0-2.7. CONCLUSION: Our findings point to a strong positive association between hostility and poor self-perceived health status in the adult population of transitional Kosovo. Health professionals and policymakers in developing settings and transitional societies should be aware of the negative health effects of psychosocial factors. Keywords: cynical distrust, Gjilan, hostility, Kosovo, psychosocial factors, self-perceived health status. Normal 0 21 false false false RO X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}