Patterns and health relevance of neuroticism in Chinese men and women: evidence from the China Kadoorie Biobank

@article{he2026patterns,
  title = {{Patterns and health relevance of neuroticism in Chinese men and women: evidence from the China Kadoorie Biobank}},
  author = {Ruixin He and Huaidong Du and Jonathan Clarke and Baihan Wang and Ling Yang and Pei Pei and Dianjianyi Sun and Jun Lv and Canqing Yu and Xiaoming Yang and Xiaohui Sun and Junshi Chen and Liming Li and Zhengming Chen and Yiping Chen and for the China Kadoorie Biobank Collaborative Group and Robert Clarke and Rory Collins and Richard Peto and Robin Walters and Daniel Avery and Maxim Barnard and Derrick Bennett and Ruth Boxall and Ka Hung Chan and Zhengming Chen and Charlotte Clarke and Robert Clarke and Ahmed Edris Mohamed and Hannah Fry and Simon Gilbert and Pek Kei Im and Andri Iona and Maria Kakkoura and Christiana Kartsonaki and Kshitij Kolhe and Hubert Lam and Kuang Lin and James Liu and Mohsen Mazidi and Iona Millwood and Sam Morris and Qunhua Nie and Alfred Pozarickij and Maryam Rahmati and Paul Ryder and Dan Schmidt and Becky Stevens and Iain Turnbull and Robin Walters and Lin Wang and Neil Wright and Pang Yao and Xiao Han and Can Hou and Qingmei Xia and Chao Liu and Lang Pan and Zengchang Pang and Ruqin Gao},
  journal = {BMC Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-29670-6},
  url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1186/s12889-026-29670-6},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Patterns and health relevance of neuroticism in Chinese men and women: evidence from the China Kadoorie Biobank
AU  - Ruixin He
AU  - Huaidong Du
AU  - Jonathan Clarke
AU  - Baihan Wang
AU  - Ling Yang
AU  - Pei Pei
AU  - Dianjianyi Sun
AU  - Jun Lv
AU  - Canqing Yu
AU  - Xiaoming Yang
AU  - Xiaohui Sun
AU  - Junshi Chen
AU  - Liming Li
AU  - Zhengming Chen
AU  - Yiping Chen
AU  - for the China Kadoorie Biobank Collaborative Group
AU  - Robert Clarke
AU  - Rory Collins
AU  - Richard Peto
AU  - Robin Walters
AU  - Daniel Avery
AU  - Maxim Barnard
AU  - Derrick Bennett
AU  - Ruth Boxall
AU  - Ka Hung Chan
AU  - Zhengming Chen
AU  - Charlotte Clarke
AU  - Robert Clarke
AU  - Ahmed Edris Mohamed
AU  - Hannah Fry
AU  - Simon Gilbert
AU  - Pek Kei Im
AU  - Andri Iona
AU  - Maria Kakkoura
AU  - Christiana Kartsonaki
AU  - Kshitij Kolhe
AU  - Hubert Lam
AU  - Kuang Lin
AU  - James Liu
AU  - Mohsen Mazidi
AU  - Iona Millwood
AU  - Sam Morris
AU  - Qunhua Nie
AU  - Alfred Pozarickij
AU  - Maryam Rahmati
AU  - Paul Ryder
AU  - Dan Schmidt
AU  - Becky Stevens
AU  - Iain Turnbull
AU  - Robin Walters
AU  - Lin Wang
AU  - Neil Wright
AU  - Pang Yao
AU  - Xiao Han
AU  - Can Hou
AU  - Qingmei Xia
AU  - Chao Liu
AU  - Lang Pan
AU  - Zengchang Pang
AU  - Ruqin Gao
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/02
JO  - BMC Public Health
DO  - 10.1186/s12889-026-29670-6
UR  - https://link.springer.com/10.1186/s12889-026-29670-6
AB  - Objectives: To characterise the sociodemographic patterning of neuroticism and evaluate its associations with major mental and physical diseases in Chinese adults.  Study design: Prospective cohort study of 25,041 adults from 5 urban and 5 rural areas in China, participating in the second resurvey of the China Kadoorie Biobank in 2013–2014.  Methods: Neuroticism was assessed using the 23-item Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and expressed as a neuroticism score (N-score). Logistic regression examined cross-sectional associations of N-score with socioeconomic characteristics and prevalence of mental and general health conditions, while Cox regression assessed prospective associations of N-score with incidence of major diseases identified through linkage to electronic health registries.  Results: Mean N-score was 2.52 and was higher in women and urban residents, with a clear downward trend with age. A higher N-score was strongly associated with socioeconomic disadvantage, including not being in marriage and having a lower level of household income. Compared with participants with an N-score of 0, those with an N-score ≥ 4 had a higher prevalence of mental health problems and poor general health, with adjusted risk ratios ranging from 1.52 to 41.01. Prospectively, a higher N-score was significantly associated with higher risks of ischaemic heart disease, stroke, mental and behavioural disorders, and nervous and digestive system diseases (hazard ratios 1.17–1.81 for the highest versus lowest N-score group).  Conclusions: Neuroticism showed substantial sociodemographic patterning and was associated with a broad range of mental and physical health outcomes. These findings highlight its potential relevance to population health and risk stratification.
SN  - 1471-2458
ER  -