Correlates of quality of life in primary care patients with hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Hypertension has been associated with lower levels of quality of life (QoL). However, the specific correlates of lower QoL in this patient population have remained largely unclear.


METHODS
A cross-sectional design of 1,125 primary care patients with hypertension. We evaluated demographics, health status, subjective health and mental health, health behaviors, health beliefs, knowledge of hypertension treatment, satisfaction with medical care, and quality of medical care as potential predictors of QoL and perceived QoL in the hypothetical absence of hypertension.


RESULTS
Worse financial status, poorer blood pressure control, worse subjective health, mental distress, lack of hypertension diet, and irregular hypertension care were all associated with worse QoL. Worse financial status, poorer blood pressure control, higher body mass index, mental distress, and following a hypertension diet were associated with better QoL in the hypothetical absence of hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to taking into consideration well known determinants of QoL, such as financial status, health status, and mental health, physicians need to be aware of the potential tradeoff between following medical recommendations that advocate for a strict diet and the impact these have on patients' QoL. Physicians also need to be aware of the effect of imparting information regarding imbalanced blood pressure on perceived QoL.
Ayalon
Liat
L
School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Israel. ayalonl@mail.biu.ac.il
Gross
Revital
R
Tabenkin
Hava
H
Porath
Avi
A
Heymann
Anthony
A
Porter
Boaz
B
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted / Q000523:psychology; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications