Differential epidemiology: IQ, neuroticism, and chronic disease by the 50 U.S. states

Abstract

Current research shows that geo-political units (e.g., the 50 U.S. states) vary meaningfully on psychological dimensions like intelligence (IQ) and neuroticism (N). A new scientific discipline has also emerged, differential epidemiology, focused on how psychological variables affect health. We integrate these areas by reporting large correlations between aggregate-level IQ and N (measured for the 50 U.S. states) and state differences in rates of chronic disease (e.g., stroke, heart disease). Controlling for health-related behaviors (e.g., smoking, exercise) reduced but did not eliminate these effects. Strong relationships also existed between IQ, N, disease, and a host of other state-level variables (e.g., income, crime, education). The nexus of inter-correlated state variables could reflect a general fitness factor hypothesized by cognitive epidemiologists, although valid inferences about causality will require more research.

Higher Resident Neuroticism Is Specifically Associated With Elevated State Cancer and Heart Disease Mortality Rates in the United States

“…This relationship also has been found at the state level of analysis by Pesta, Bertsch, McDaniel, Mahoney, and Poznanski (2012), who reported that the Rentfrow et al (2008) state estimates of neuroticism were related to the state prevalence of heart disease. However, an individual-level prospective study by Nakaya et al (2005) did not find that neuroticism was a risk factor for heart disease.…”

Only in America: Cold Winters Theory, race, IQ and well-being

“…What explains the pattern of results we found? Pesta, Bertsch, McDaniel, Mahoney, and Poznanski (2012) speculate that founder effects may partly explain why states vary on psychological dimensions. Specifically, both social (e.g., religious beliefs and customs) and genetic (e.g., IQ and personality, in part) factors characterize the settlers of a particular geographic area.…”

National intelligence and private health expenditure: Do high IQ societies spend more on health insurance?

“…In the case of our findings, it is worthwhile to suggest that high IQ societies may have anticipated that it is not worthwhile for them to spend more on health insurance. A possible reason is that high IQ societies have less prevalence of diseases (e.g., HIV, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke, and high blood pressure), and thus, they tend to have better health status and are less vulnerable to morbidity and mortality risk (Lynn & Vanhanen, 2012;Pesta, Bertsch, McDaniel, Mahoney, & Poznanski, 2012). This is in contrast to least-developed low-IQ societies with a proportionally higher probability of diseases and illnesses that raise the cost of insurance premiums (Chernew et al, 2003).…”