Personality plays a significant role in health care

A new study published in the journal The Milbank Quarterly proves that particular characteristics of personality can be linked to health care. “This is the first study to show that personality traits predispose some older adults to use several expensive acute and long-term care services”, said Bruce Friedman, M.P.H., Ph.D., an associate professor in the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of Public Health Sciences and lead author of the study. “It is important for health care systems to recognize that personality characteristics are associated with how individuals use health care services, and design interventions that redirect patients towards lower cost solutions to their health problems that are just as effective”. In this study participated 1,074 individuals with the age of above 65 and through them, scientists analyzed the “big five” traits of personality: conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to experience, extraversion and neuroticism. The researchers discovered that these personality traits have a great impact on every individual`s health care. The study also analyzed seven health care services that are expensive and how the participants used these services: home-based custodial care, home-based skilled nurse and therapist care, custodial nursing home care, skilled nursing home care, hospital-based rehabilitation, hospital stays and visits to emergency department (ED). They discovered that personality traits have a great impact on the usage of these services as well. This study suggests that the results could be helpful in orienting patients towards low cost health care services.