Stress and coping in hypertensive and emergency room patients

Stressful life events (SLEs) and coping behavior were compared in 25 emergency room patients with nonserious acute illness and 25 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Stress was evaluated with a modified Rahe's SLE questionnaire and coping with a rate scale developed by the primary investigator. Results showed that: ER patients reported significantly more (p < .05) SLEs for one year preceding illness onset, although more hypertensives subjectively rated their stress level as high; ER patients experienced significantly more SLEs in personal and social, home and family, and financial categories; hypertensives experienced significantly more health-related SLEs; age was seen as influencing SLEs; hypertensive patients used significantly more problem-oriented coping methods than did ER patients; hypertensives relied more on religion and physical activity in coping than did the ER group; ER patients more often day-dreamed or used their past experience as a guide for coping with stress; each group rated use of drugs as least important in coping; and educational level proved to be a salient variable affecting coping.