Daily HealthBeat Tip

Anger management

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Instead of getting angry, try getting a grip. Otherwise, you may end up in the hospital. A study finds anger increases risk of injury, especially among men.

Researchers asked emergency room patients about their state of mind 24 hours before – and just before – they went to the hospital.

Those reporting anger were twice as likely to be in the ER because of injury.

Dan Vinson of the University of Missouri-Columbia says, in today’s angry society, it’s wise to think twice:

“One way to avoid getting injured intentionally is to be aware of one’s own anger and if you find yourself getting angry, back off.” (9 seconds)

The study found no connection between anger and traffic accidents, but did find a relationship between anger and sports injuries.

The study in Annals of Family Medicine was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: April 13, 2006

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