HYPERTENSION

DOES PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF AN INDIVIDUAL CAUSE TO DEVELOP?

Abstract

Hypertension is a condition of the person in which blood pressure is chronically
high. Hypertension is a leading factor to damage health and turn out many chronic conditions
in human body1. Objectives: To study the relationship of hypertension with psychological
states of anger, stress and anxiety and do they predict hypertension? Study Design: A co
relational study. Methodology: Outdoor hypertensive patients (N = 200, men = 110, women
= 90) between ages 30-65, and control group (N = 170, men = 90, women = 80), matched
with age, gender and monthly income were taken from the public hospitals. STAXI (Spielberger,
1988) and DASS (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) were used for data collection. Data analysis:
Descriptive statistics, chi-square, logistic regression analyses were used. Results: Significant
positive correlation of hypertension with anger, stress and anxiety was found. Anger-control,
anger-in, stress and anxiety emerged as strongest predictors of hypertension.