Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Blood Pressure Control in Young Adults With a Family History of Hypertension.

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is a primary reason for heart problems that lead to death or illness across the globe, and people with a family history are more prone to it. Stress is known to cause an increase in blood pressure, but the specific influence of stress perception on individuals in this high-risk group remains unclear. This study examines the relationship between perceived stress and blood pressure control in young adults with a family history of hypertension.

METHODS

This study employed a cross-sectional design, involving 385 young adults aged 18-35 years from universities, communities, and outpatient centres in Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) in conjunction with the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale (HB-HBP). All data were run through IBM SPSS Version 26 using Pearson correlation, t-tests, ANOVA, and linear regression to examine the relationship between perceived stress and the effectiveness of blood pressure management. The data were gathered from February 2025 to May 2025.

RESULTS

Perceived stress showed a significant gender difference, with males reporting higher levels of stress (t=3.431, p=0.001). It was moderately positively correlated with blood pressure control (r=0.400, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that the greater the stress, the less effectively a person managed their blood pressure (b=0.400, p < 0.001). Individuals adhering to a particular diet had improved control of their blood pressure (t=3.403, p=0.001). Although physical activity and marital status were found to have a statistically significant correlation with stress and blood pressure control (p < 0.05), the higher values were negligible.

CONCLUSION

It is shown that controlling blood pressure in young adults who have a family history of hypertension can be affected by their perceived stress. Researchers found that stress management may be very helpful in improving the blood pressure of such high-risk patients. More studies are required to find out how stress can lead to hypertension, including emotional and physical/health aspects.