This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Everson, S. A. Articles by Salonen, J. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Everson, S. A. Articles by Salonen, J. T. Related Collections Behavioral/psychosocial - treatment Other hypertension Other etiology

(Hypertension. 2000;35:561.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Hypertension Incidence Is Predicted by High Levels of Hopelessness in Finnish Men

Presented in part at the 4th International Conference on Preventive Cardiology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 29 to July 3, 1997, and published in abstract form (Can J Cardiol. 1997;13[suppl B]:317B).

Susan A. Everson; George A. Kaplan; Debbie E. Goldberg; Jukka T. Salonen

From the Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich (S.A.E., G.A.K.); the Human Population Laboratory, Public Health Institute, Berkeley, Calif (D.E.G.); and the Research Institute of Public Health and Department of Community Health and General Practice, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland (J.T.S.).

Correspondence to Susan A. Everson, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 109 S Observatory St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029. E-mail severson{at}umich.edu

Abstract—Recent studies have reported that hopelessness is an important factor in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, including ischemic heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, and atherosclerotic progression. This study examined the relationship between hopelessness and incident hypertension in a population-based sample of 616 initially normotensive, middle-aged men from eastern Finland, an area with high rates of cardiovascular disease. Participants completed a medical examination and a series of psychological questionnaires at baseline and at the 4-year follow-up. Hopelessness was measured by 2 items assessing negative expectancy about the future and one’s goals. A logistic regression model with adjustments for age, body mass index, baseline resting blood pressure, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, parental history of hypertension, and self-reported depressive symptoms revealed that men reporting high levels of hopelessness at baseline were 3 times more likely to become hypertensive (systolic blood pressure 165 mm Hg and/or a diastolic blood pressure 95 mm Hg or confirmed use of antihypertensive medication) in the intervening 4 years than men who were not hopeless (odds ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.56, 6.67). Men reporting moderate levels of hopelessness were not at a significantly increased risk of hypertension (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.79, 2.07). This is the first study to identify a significant relationship between hopelessness and incident hypertension. Research is needed to explore the neuroendocrine and central nervous system mechanisms underlying this association.

Key Words: cardiovascular diseases • depression • hopelessness • men • psychology • risk factors

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. O. Whipple, T. T. Lewis, K. Sutton-Tyrrell, K. A. Matthews, E. Barinas-Mitchell, L. H. Powell, and S. A. Everson-Rose Hopelessness, Depressive Symptoms, and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Heart Study Stroke, October 1, 2009; 40(10): 3166 - 3172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Valtonen, D. E. Laaksonen, T. Tolmunen, K. Nyyssonen, H. Viinamaki, J. Kauhanen, and L. Niskanen Hopelessness -- novel facet of the metabolic syndrome in men Scand J Public Health, November 1, 2008; 36(8): 795 - 802. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Lucini, G. Di Fede, G. Parati, and M. Pagani Impact of Chronic Psychosocial Stress on Autonomic Cardiovascular Regulation in Otherwise Healthy Subjects Hypertension, November 1, 2005; 46(5): 1201 - 1206. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. I. Papakostas, T. Petersen, J. Pava, E. Masson, J. J. Worthington III, J. E. Alpert, M. Fava, and A. A. Nierenberg Hopelessness and Suicidal Ideation in Outpatients With Treatment-Resistant Depression: Prevalence and Impact on Treatment Outcome Focus, January 1, 2005; 3(1): 140 - 145. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Rutledge and B. E. Hogan A Quantitative Review of Prospective Evidence Linking Psychological Factors With Hypertension Development Psychosom Med, September 1, 2002; 64(5): 758 - 766. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Harper, J. Lynch, W.-L. Hsu, S. A Everson, M. M Hillemeier, T. E Raghunathan, J. T Salonen, and G. A Kaplan Life course socioeconomic conditions and adult psychosocial functioning Int. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2002; 31(2): 395 - 403. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Steptoe and M. Marmot The role of psychobiological pathways in socio-economic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk Eur. Heart J., January 1, 2002; 23(1): 13 - 25. [Full Text] [PDF]