Occupation, type A behavior and self-reported angina pectoris

The utility of the Type A Behavior Pattern (TABP) as an explanatory concept in psychosomatic medicine has recently been challenged by the appearance of data casting doubt on associations between the TABP and coronary disease. The present study examined an interactive view of the relationship between the TABP and self-reported angina pectoris by suggesting that the TABP exerts a pathogenic influence only under certain occupational conditions. The data gave broad support to this view, and while the results are as yet preliminary, they point to a means of extending the usefulness of the TABP as a variable in epidemiological studies of cardiovascular disease.