The Relationship Between Personality Factors and Dyslipidemia in Patients Referred to Internal Clinics Affiliated with Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd in 2021-2023

Background Personality traits have been associated with vulnerability to chronic diseases. Dyslipidemia, a major precursor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, remains highly prevalent worldwide. This study aimed to examine the association between personality dimensions and dyslipidemia among adults attending internal medicine clinics in Yazd, Iran. Methods This case–control study was conducted between 2021 and 2023 on 210 adults referred to internal medicine clinics affiliated with Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. One hundred patients diagnosed with dyslipidemia constituted the case group, and 110 age- and sex-matched individuals without lipid disorders served as controls. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and personality traits were assessed using the 125-item Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-125), which measures four temperament dimensions (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, persistence) and three-character dimensions (self-directedness, cooperativeness, self-transcendence). Group differences and correlations with age were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests with a significance level of 0.05. Results The mean age of participants did not differ significantly between cases (47.0 ± 12.0 years) and controls (42.9 ± 10.8 years; p  = 0.075). Sex distribution was also similar (women 53.0% vs 63.6%; p  = 0.077). Among the seven TCI dimensions, only cooperativeness was significantly lower in the dyslipidemia group (18.1 ± 3.4) than in controls (19.3 ± 3.5; p  = 0.004). Across the entire sample, novelty seeking and reward dependence decreased with age ( p  = 0.004 and p  = 0.033, respectively), whereas self-directedness increased with age ( p  = 0.029). Conclusions Lower cooperativeness appears to characterize individuals with dyslipidemia, independent of age and sex. Routine psychological screening for this trait may help clarify psychosocial pathways linking personality to metabolic risk and could guide personalized prevention and management strategies. Future longitudinal studies should determine whether improving cooperative behaviors enhances lipid regulation and cardiovascular outcomes in at-risk populations.