Illness Perceptions as a Predictor of Depression Among Hypertension Patients: The Moderating Role of Sense of Coherence

Abstract

Depression often manifests through prolonged feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in daily life. Among individuals with hypertension, perceptions about their illness can strongly influence emotional well-being and the development of depressive symptoms. The present study examined how illness perception relates to depression in hypertensive patients and explored whether a sense of coherence acts as a moderating factor in this relationship. Survey research design was used to collect the data. A purposive sample of 200 young adults (aged 23–30 years; M = 25.61, SD = 2.40), including both males and females, was selected. Data were gathered using three standardized tools: the Depression subscale of the DASS (Lovibond et al., 1995), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Broadbent et al., 2006), and Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Scale (1978). Findings revealed significant relationship among study variables and also highlighted that sense of coherence moderated the relationship between illness perception and depression among hypertensive patients.  The results highlight the importance of addressing psychosocial components within both medical and psychological interventions for hypertensive patients. Furthermore, it is recommended that healthcare training programs include education on the psychological management of chronic illnesses, while future research should explore these relationships through longitudinal approaches.