Abstract
Research results suggesting that facets of negative affectivity, <em>i.e. </em>anxiety, anger-hostility, and depression, relate to incident cardiovascular diseases have been steadily increasing. Evidence for depression has been especially extensive. Elevated blood pressure, a major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, is one probable mediator in this context. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship of specific key elements of depressive disposition, <em>i.e</em>. depressive symptoms, hopelessness and vital exhaustion, with health behavior and blood pressure. Study sample was comprised of 710 middle-aged men. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing health behavior, depressive symptoms, vital exhaustion and hopelessness. Statistical analyses involved descriptive analyses, correlations and path analysis. Depressive symptoms and vital exhaustion associated with several unfavorable lifestyles such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and inactivity (standardized solution coefficients: 0.10, 0.14, 0.17, accordingly). However, no significant direct associations with blood pressure could be found for depressive symptoms or vital exhaustion. Hopelessness associated only with unhealthy diet (standardized solution coefficient -0.10) Moreover, for hopelessness, results showed a direct but inverse association with systolic blood pressure (standardized solution coefficient -0.08). Results suggest that the previously reported relations of depression and vital exhaustion with blood pressure could be mediated by unfavorable lifestyles. The relation of hopelessness with adverse health behaviors seems to be less significant. Also, the role of hopelessness as a risk factor of elevated blood pressure is not supported by the results of this study.
Highlights
Research results suggesting that facets of Another important issue is the question tions and conducted the statistical analyses of the negative affectivity, i.e. anxiety, anger-hostili- about pathways between depressive disposi- data, and drafted the article; JJ is responsible for ty, and depression, relate to incident cardiovas- tion and CVD
In this study we focus on comparing three indicators of depressive disposition, i.e. depressive symptoms, hopelessness and vital exhaustion, and try to clarify their relations with blood pressure
A widely supported theory explains the relation of Negative affectivity (NA) with poor vascular health by assuming that high levels of negative feelings activate the sympathetic-adrenalmedullary system and hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal-cortical axis system, followed by increased serum levels of catecholamines and cortisol which have an influence on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate.[5]
Summary
The present study is a sub-study of the Helsinki Metabolic Syndrome Prevention Trial, which was an uncontrolled preventive trial aimed at improving prevention of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The goals were to screen and find men with a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, and to offer them individual counseling. An invitation letter with questionnaires was mailed to 2990 middle-aged, male Helsinki citizens. It was a population sample, all men of the age-cohorts of 40-, 45-, 50-, and 55-years living in the North-Eastern district of the city of Helsinki were invited to participate.
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