Relationships of Coping Style and Social Support to Anxiety or/and Depression in Patients with Hypertension

Objective To study the relationships of coping style and social support to anxiety or/and depression in patients with hypertension.Methods One hundred patients with hypertension were interviewed by trained psychotherapist and were evaluated using Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA)and Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD).After interviews,these patients were divided into two groups according to the scores of HAMA and HAMD:disease group(HAMA≥8 or/and HAMD≥8,n=48)and control group(HAMA8and HAMD8,n=52).Patients were assessed using Trait Coping Style Questionnaire(TCSQ)and Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS). Results Compared with control group,positive coping scores,subjective support scores and social support use scores decreased,but passive coping scores increased in disease group(P0.01). There were no significant differences in objective support scores between the two groups(P 0.05).Conclusion The incidence of anxiety or/and depression is high among patients with hypertension.The lack of positive coping and the use of passive coping styles are vulnerable to anxiety or/and depression in patients with hypertension.The improvement in subjective social supportand support availability may help to promote physical and mental health in patients with hypertension.