‘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.