Awareness of hypertension and depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional study in a primary care population




Rantanen A., Korkeila J., Löyttyniemi E., Saxén U., Korhonen P.

PublisherTaylor and Francis Ltd

2018

Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care

Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care

36

3

323

328

6

0281-3432

1502-7724

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2018.1499588(external)

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/35843982(external)



Objective: To investigate the association of hypertension awareness and depressive symptoms, and to analyse factors predisposing aware hypertensives to depressive symptoms.

Design: Cross-sectional study in a primary care population.

Setting: Cardiovascular risk factor survey in two semi-rural towns in Finland.

Subjects: Two thousand six hundred seventy-six middle-aged risk persons without an established cardiovascular or renal disease or type 2 diabetes.

Main outcome measures: Depressive symptoms, previous and new diagnosis of hypertension.

Results: Hypertension was diagnosed in 47.9% of the subjects, of whom 34.5% (442/1 282) had previously undetected hypertension. Depressive symptoms were reported by 14% of the subjects previously aware of their hypertension, and by 9% of both unaware hypertensives and normotensive subjects. In the logistic regression analysis, both the normotensive (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45–0.86) (p = 0.0038) and the unaware hypertensive subjects (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35–0.84) (p = 0.0067) had lower risk for depressive symptoms than the previously diagnosed hypertensives. Among these aware hypertensives, female gender (OR 3.61, 95% CI 2.06–6.32), harmful alcohol use (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.40–4.64) and obesity (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.01–6.21) predicted depressive symptoms. Non-smoking (OR 0.57, 95% Cl 0.33–0.99) and moderate leisure-time physical activity compared to low (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.33–0.84) seemed to buffer against depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are common in hypertensive persons even without comorbidities, if the person is already aware of his/her hypertension. Many modifiable, lifestyle associated factors may contribute to the association of hypertension and depressive symptoms.


Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 20:09