'Adaptive' psychosocial factors in relation to home blood pressure: a study in the general population of southern Netherlands.
BACKGROUND
Evidence is accumulating for an association between psychosocial stress and elevated blood pressure. However, studies focusing on adaptive psychosocial factors are scarce.


OBJECTIVE
We examined the association between putatively adaptive psychosocial factors and home blood pressure in a population study in the Netherlands.


METHODS
Resting blood pressure was measured of 985 female and 777 male participants between 20 and 55 years of age in their home setting. Questionnaires assessing problem-focused coping (active coping), adaptive emotion-focused coping (positive reinterpretation) and social support were completed.


RESULTS
When controlled for age, marital and socio-economic status, body mass index, parental history of hypertension, physical exercise, smoking, alcohol, coffee, and--in women--oral contraceptives, positive reinterpretation was associated with a lower prevalence of elevated home blood pressure (>or=140/90 mmHg): OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.40-0.88 (P = 0.009). Although all three psychosocial variables were associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure level, in multivariable analyses, only the associations between systolic blood pressure and positive reinterpretation (beta = -0.09, t = 3.25, P = 0.001) and active coping (beta = 0.07, t = 2.65, P = 0.008) remained significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Independent of other factors, only positive reinterpretation of the situation appeared to be related to more favorable blood pressure levels.
Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Disease (CoRPS), Tilburg University, P.O. BOX 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands. i.nyklicek@uvt.nl
Ivan
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Nyklícek
Ad
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Vingerhoets
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011340:Problem Solving; D011594:Psychometrics; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult