The association between personality traits and stroke - A European cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. While personality traits have been associated with various health outcomes, their association with stroke remains underexplored.

METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on wave 9 data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Individuals aged 50 years or older were included in the study. The Big Five personality traits constituted the main exposure variables and were analyzed separately. The value of each personality trait variable was standardized. The association between each personality trait and stroke was examined by logistic regression models which were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % Confidence Intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: A total of 2947 participants reported having a stroke in this study. The odds of stroke were higher in individuals with greater neuroticism (OR: 1.28 (95 % CI: 1.18 - 1.40). Higher Openness and Conscientiousness were associated with decreased odds of stroke (OR: 0.90, 95 % CI: [0.82 - 0.98]) and (OR: 0.90, 95 % CI: [0.83 - 0.98]), respectively. There were no significant associations between Extraversion or Agreeableness and the odds of stroke, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Personality traits, particularly Neuroticism, Openness, and Conscientiousness, were significantly associated with the prevalence of stroke in older European adults. Findings should be interpreted in light of the cross-sectional design.