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The Psychological Impact of Hypertension During COVID-19 Restrictions: Retrospective Case-Control Study
Carissa Bonner1, Erin Cvejic1, Julie Ayre1
1Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney Australia.
Insights
People with hypertension experienced higher anxiety during COVID-19 lockdowns but showed increased vaccination intentions. Targeted mental health support may be needed for vulnerable groups during health crises.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Psychology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic posed unique risks to individuals with hypertension.
- Understanding the psychological and behavioral responses of this group was crucial for public health.
- The need for targeted interventions for vulnerable populations during health crises was highlighted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare risk perception, anxiety levels, and vaccination intentions between individuals with hypertension and healthy controls during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- To assess changes in these measures over a two-month period as restrictions eased.
- To inform the development of public health strategies for managing chronic conditions during pandemics.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective case-control study using national survey data from Australia during the April 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
- Matching individuals with hypertension (no other chronic conditions) to healthy controls based on age, gender, education, and health literacy.
- Follow-up data collected at two months to track changes in risk perception, anxiety, and vaccination intentions.
Main Results:
- The hypertension group reported significantly higher anxiety levels compared to controls at baseline.
- Individuals with hypertension showed greater willingness to vaccinate against influenza, but COVID-19 vaccination intentions were similar between groups.
- At two-month follow-up, differences in anxiety and perceived seriousness diminished, with high vaccination intentions (>80%) for both influenza and COVID-19 persisting in all groups.
Conclusions:
- Elevated anxiety was observed in the hypertension group during the COVID-19 lockdown, alongside higher vaccination intentions.
- Vulnerable populations, such as those with hypertension, may benefit from targeted mental health screening during high-risk periods.
- Sustained high vaccination intentions post-lockdown are encouraging for future disease prevention efforts, including COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.
Background:
It is unclear how people with hypertension are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic given their increased risk, and whether targeted public health strategies are needed.
Objective:
This retrospective case-control study compared people with hypertension to matched healthy controls during the COVID-19 lockdown to determine whether they have higher risk perceptions, anxiety, and vaccination intentions.
Methods:
Baseline data from a national survey were collected in April 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown in Australia. People who reported hypertension with no other chronic conditions were randomly matched to healthy controls of similar age, gender, education, and health literacy level. A subset including participants with hypertension was followed up at 2 months after restrictions were eased. Risk perceptions, anxiety, and vaccination intentions were measured in April and June.
Results:
Of the 4362 baseline participants, 466 (10.7%) reported hypertension with no other chronic conditions. A subset of 1369 people were followed up at 2 months, which included 147 (10.7%) participants with hypertension. At baseline, perceived seriousness was high for both hypertension and control groups. The hypertension group reported greater anxiety compared to the controls and were more willing to vaccinate against influenza, but COVID-19 vaccination intentions were similar. At follow-up, these differences were no longer present in the longitudinal subsample. Perceived seriousness and anxiety had decreased, but vaccination intentions for both influenza and COVID-19 remained high across groups (>80%).
Conclusions:
Anxiety was above normal levels during the COVID-19 lockdown. It was higher in the hypertension group, which also had higher vaccination intentions. Groups that are more vulnerable to COVID-19 may require targeted mental health screening during periods of greater risk. Despite a decrease in perceived risk and anxiety after 2 months of lockdown restrictions, vaccination intentions remained high, which is encouraging for the future prevention of COVID-19.
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Hypertension (High blood pressure)
Hypertension occurs when blood pressure readings consistently exceed the normal range. It is diagnosed when systolic blood pressure (the top number, indicating pressure while the heart...