Depression, Perfectionism, and Hypertension in the Elderly: A Path Analysis Examining Worry, Ambiguity Tolerance, and Problem-Solving

Introduction: Hypertension is a prevalent condition among the elderly, significantly contributing to the burden of cardiovascular disease and related complications. This study examined how depression and perfectionism influence hypertension  in older adults. It also explored how worry, tolerance for ambiguity, and problem-solving skills might influence this relationship. Methods: Researchers recruited ۱۹۲ participants with hypertension from a health center in Khoy city, Urmia, Iran. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed depression, perfectionism, worry, ambiguity tolerance, and problem-solving skills. Statistical methods were used to analyze the data and identify relationships between these factors and hypertension. Results: Depression, perfectionism, worry, and ambiguity tolerance were all significantly associated with hypertension. Interestingly, problem-solving skills were not linked to blood pressure. Further analysis revealed that worry played a reinforcing role in the link between depression/perfectionism and hypertension, while ambiguity tolerance had a protective effect. In other words, higher worry levels strengthened the association between depression/perfectionism and high blood pressure, while greater tolerance for ambiguity lessened this association. Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotional factors like worry and intolerance for ambiguity can significantly impact blood pressure in older adults.  Therefore, managing these emotions alongside depression and perfectionistic tendencies may be crucial for controlling hypertension. Corresponding Author:  Masood Ghorbanalipour View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed     Google Scholar Profile

Keywords:

Hypertension , Worry , Depression , Perfectionism , Ambiguity Tolerance