‘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. PURPOSE: We examined the association between putatively adaptive psychosocial factors and home blood pressure in a population study in the Netherlands. METHOD: 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. CONCLUSION: Independent of other factors, only positive reinterpretation of the situation appeared to be related to more favorable blood pressure levels.