Association of depressive symptoms and socioeconomic status in determination of blood pressure levels and hypertension: The CONSTANCES population based study

Background: Inconsistent association between depression and hypertension has been highlighted. The association of depression with blood pressure (BP) might depend upon socioeconomic status (SES), but evidence remains weak. Objectives: This study aimed to examine how the associations between depressive symptoms and BP levels and hypertension and then, according to SES variables (education, income, occupational status). Methods: Among 66,478 volunteers of the French CONSTANCES cohort (31,093 men; mean age (standard deviation): 47.8 (12.9) years), depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Overall associations between depressive symptoms and BP and hypertension were estimated using regressions and by stratifying on SES. Results: SES were associated with BP in both genders. CES-D score was negatively associated with systolic BP (SBP) in women (b=-0.62 95%CI [-1.03;-0.21] and in men (b=-1.03 95%CI [-1.45;-0.61]) but not with diastolic BP (DBP) in both genders. In women, the decrease in SBP and DBP was more pronounced as educational level increases (p for interaction: 0.012 and 0.013, respectively). In men, few interactions were observed between CES-D score and SES factors for BP levels. The association between CES-D score and hypertension was significant for men, OR=0.86, 95%CI [0.80; 0.93] but not for women, OR=1.03, 95%CI [0.96; 1.10]. No interactions were observed between CES-D score and SES for hypertension. Conclusion: Gender differences were observed for considering depressive symptoms according to SES factors for BP variation and hypertension. In women, educational level was the SES factor which has the main modifying effect on this association.

Automated summary

Gender differences in the association between depressive symptoms and blood pressure levels and hypertension were observed, with educational level having the main modifying effect in women.