Longitudinal association between having stress-coping strategy and hypertension in a community-based Japanese study:...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Public Health
• Psychosocial Epidemiology

Background:

• Hypertension is a major global health concern, with significant mortality and disease burden.
• While risk factors are known, the impact of psychosocial stress and coping strategies on hypertension development requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal association between stress-coping strategies and the incidence of hypertension in Japanese communities.
• To explore potential sex-specific differences in this association.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study (Circulatory Risk in Communities Study) involving 3668 participants (aged 40-74) in rural Japan.
• Annual assessments of stress levels, coping strategies, and hypertension status from 2010 to 2018.
• Generalized linear mixed models used for longitudinal analysis, adjusting for confounders and examining sex-specific effects.

Main Results:

• A stress-coping strategy was significantly linked to lower baseline hypertension incidence in both women (OR=0.21) and men (OR=0.33).
• This protective association persisted throughout the follow-up period for both sexes.
• The association was not significant in men experiencing high stress levels.

Conclusions:

• The presence of a stress-coping strategy is associated with a reduced incidence of hypertension in both men and women.
• Coping strategies may play a crucial role in the prevention of hypertension.