Stress Management at the Worksite for Hypertension: Compliance, Cost-Benefit, Health Care and Hypertension-Related Variables

The blood pressure-lowering effects of a group stress management program conducted with hypertensive employees at the worksite were assessed and replicated. Both systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were significantly reduced from a baseline period to the end of a 10-week stress management training period (Group T1, N = 22). A control Group, T2 (N = 18), showed no significant SBP and DBP reduction over a comparable time period. When Group T2 was then given stress management training, the resulting SBP and DBP reductions were significant. When BP was recorded 3 years later, there were significant reductions for both SBP and DBP. Thirty percent of the subjects who had a medication regimen responded with BP judged to be a clinically significant reduction. The frequency of relaxation practice and the amount of BP reduction achieved during relaxation practice were significantly correlated with BP reduction after the stress management program. It was also found that the stress management program lowered health care costs and increased health supportive behavior.