Stress Under Pressure: The Hidden Impact of Menstrual Irregularities and Blood Pressure on Mental Health in Hypertensive Women.

Abstract

Background: Hypertension and menstrual irregularities frequently coexist, deteriorating mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress. This study examines sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, comparing mental health outcomes in hypertensive women with and without menstrual irregularities.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of hypertensive women aged 18 to 40+ was conducted. Participants were grouped by the presence of menstrual irregularities using purposive sampling. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS version 23. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H tests, and multivariate logistic regression (AORs) were used to assess risk factors, while Spearman's correlation evaluated associations between BP and mental health variables.

Aims: To assess the impact of socio-demographic, clinical, and menstrual factors on mental health in hypertensive women and identify risk factors.

Results: Severe stress in patients with menstrual irregularities was significantly higher in the uncontrolled BP group (above 50%) than the controlled group (below 20%). Anxiety and depression also peaked in uncontrolled BP patients. Stress was higher in overweight/obese, insomniac patients (p < 0.05) and those with a family history of hypertension (p < 0.001). Higher education was protective against anxiety and depression (AOR = 0.082, 0.150), while postmenopausal women had higher odds of stress and depression (AOR = 5.536, 5.55). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.622, p < 0.01) was observed between SBP and DBP.

Conclusions: In hypertensive women, menstrual abnormalities and poor BP control worsen stress, anxiety, and depression. Menopausal status and education also impact mental health. Women with hypertension benefit from culturally sensitive blood pressure and mental health therapies.

Key Words: Menstrual Irregularities, Hypertension, Uncontrolled blood pressure Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Social-Cultural beliefs, Tertiary Health Care Centre, Statistical Analysis,