HYPERTENSION

COPING STRATEGIES USED BY PEOPLE

Abstract

The literature review portrays a reasonable picture of the role of certain coping
strategies in developing hypertension. Objectives: Present research based on self-regulation
theory explored correlation of coping strategies of stress with hypertension. Design: Cross
sectional research design. Setting: Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Services Hospital, Ganga Ram
Hospital, Lahore. Period: June 2010 to June 2011. Method & material: Sample (N = 400)
outdoor hypertensive males (N = 100) and hypertensive females (N = 100) between ages
30-60, and their age matched healthy controls (N= 200, 100 males, 100 females) were taken
from 3 hospitals. Measures: Brief COPE scale was used to measure coping strategies.
Analysis: Chi-square and logistic regression analysis were carried out. Results: Significant
positive correlation of hypertension with active coping, substance use, instrumental support,
positive reframing, acceptance, and self-blame was found and active coping, acceptance,
instrumental social support and self-blame coping strategies appeared as significant predictors
of hypertension.