[Anger, cardiovascular health and depression in middle-aged Korean men: the mediating effect of social support].
OBJECTIVE
A descriptive correlational study was designed to examine the relationship of trait anger and anger expression to blood pressure, cholesterol, and depression in middle-aged Korean men. In addition, this study investigated the mediating effect of social support in relation to anger and other variables.


METHODS
Two hundred and ninety nine men aged 40 to 64 years were recruited from a health center at K University Hospital located in Ansan City, Kyungki province, Korea. The instruments used were Spielberger's state trait anger expression inventory-the Korean version for trait anger and anger expression, Beck's depression inventory for depression, and a Personal resource questionnaire for perceived social support.


RESULTS
Men with high trait anger showed significantly higher systolic blood pressure(BP) and diastolic BP. The level of cholesterol did not have a significant relationship with trait anger and anger expression. The severity of depression was significantly higher in men with high trait anger or more frequent uses of anger-in or anger-out. The perceived social support had a significant mediating effect in relation to trait anger and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Various nursing interventions for managing anger or improving social support need to be developed in a future study.
Park
Young-Joo
YJ
College of Nursing Korea University, 126-1, 5-ka, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-ku, Seoul 136-705, Korea. yjpark@korea.ac.kr
Baik
Soonim
S
Shin
Hyun Jeong
HJ
Yoon
Ji-Won
JW
Chun
Sook-Hee
SH
Moon
Sohyun
S
D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires