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The association of family social support, depression, anxiety and self-efficacy with specific hypertension self-care behaviours in Chinese local community

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 29, pages 198–203 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

This study aimed to test the role of family social support, depression, anxiety and self-efficacy on specific self-care behaviours. In a local community health center, 318 patients with hypertension completed a questionnaire assessing self-care, family social support, depression, anxiety and self-efficacy in 2012. Each self-care behaviour was separately analyzed with logistic regression models. The mean score of perceived family social support for hypertension treatment was 20.91 (maximum=60). Adult children were identified as the primary support source. Approximately 22.3% and 15.4% of participants reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. Participants had moderately positive levels of confidence performing self-care (42.1±13.3 out of 60). After adjusting for demographic and health variables, a 10-unit increase in family social support increased the odds ratio (OR) of taking medication by 1.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.87) and increased the OR for measuring blood pressure (BP) regularly by 1.33 (95% CI 1.02–1.74). Depression and anxiety were not associated with any self-care behaviours. A10-unit increase in self-efficacy increased the adjusted OR for performing physical exercise to 1.25 (95% CI 1.04–1.49). In conclusion, family social support was positively associated with medication adherence and regular BP measurement. Strategies to improve family social support should be developed for hypertension control, yet further prospective studies are needed to understand the effects of family social support, depression, anxiety and self-efficacy on self-care behaviours.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the participating patients for their commitment. Special thanks are addressed to field investigators for their invaluable help in the project. This research was supported by a grant from GCOE in Waseda University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lab of Exercise Epidemiology, Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    H H Hu

  2. Beijing Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, Institute of Chronic Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China

    G Li

  3. Lab of Exercise Epidemiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    T Arao

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  1. H H Hu
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Correspondence to T Arao.

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Hu, H., Li, G. & Arao, T. The association of family social support, depression, anxiety and self-efficacy with specific hypertension self-care behaviours in Chinese local community. J Hum Hypertens 29, 198–203 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2014.58

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