TY - JOUR AU - Campo, José Ernesto AU - Reyes, John Jairo AU - Ortiz, Carolina AU - Quintero, Leonardo AU - Herrera, Julián A. PY - 2006/11/19 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Blood pressure levels and psychosocial stress in students of health sciences. University of Valle, Cali, Colombia, 2003-2004. JF - Colombia Medica JA - Colomb Med VL - 37 IS - 2 Supl 1 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.25100/cm.v37i2 Supl 1.433 UR - https://colombiamedica.univalle.edu.co/index.php/comedica/article/view/433 SP - 21-25 AB - <p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the levels of family stress, social stress and the blood pressure levels in young people and the possible correlation.</p> <p><strong>Materials and methods:</strong> A descriptive study was performed recruiting healthy students of health sciences in the University of Valle in Cali, Colombia during 2002-2003. The psychosocial stress inventory included evaluation of the family stress and the evaluation of social stress. The blood pressure was evaluated by physicians using standardized technique with calibrated manual sphygmomanometers.</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>185 students were recruited with an average age of 21.2±2.6 years old, 178 (96%) were singles, 100 (54%) were women, 173 (93.5%) were of mixed ethnic background, 154 (83.2%) were from middle socioeconomic level (level 3-4). The family dysfunction was observed in 131 (70.8%) students, 66 (35.6%) had high cumulative social changes. The average blood pressure level in all students was normal (106.4/69.7) with high blood pressure levels in males than in females (p< 0.001) associated with the body mass index (p< 0.001) and the black race ( p< 0.02). Family dysfunction was not associated with changes in blood pressure (p=0.80). Social stress was not associated with blood pressure levels (p=0.98).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> In young people psychosocial stress was high but did not affect blood pressure levels probably due to compensatory physiologic action of vascular endothelium.</p> ER -