PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG THE ADULTS IN SELECTED RURAL AREAS OF ANAND DISTRICT: A COMMUNITY BASED CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: High blood pressure is a significant health challenge across the world, contributing considerably to cardiovascular and other chronic ailments. Identifying hypertension’s prevalence and risk factors is crucial for improved management and control. As a result, the current study aimed to assess the current incidence and risk variables associated with hypertension among people residing in selected rural areas of Anand district, Gujarat state.

Methods: Residents of selected rural regions of Gujarat’s Anand district participated in a cross-sectional community survey. A structured assessment tool was utilized to gather information about socio-demographic traits, clinical history, behavioural factors, and anthropometric data during face-to-face interviews. Additionally, standardize protocols were also to acquire blood pressure and anthropometric measures. SPSS statistical software version 20 was used to analyse the data, and logistic regression was employed to identify factors that were independently associated with hypertension. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value of less than 0.05.

Results: In order to ascertain the prevalence of hypertension using the ACC/AHA 2017 hypertension guidelines, the current study involved 315 individuals. The research showed that less than half of the study subjects (44.4%) had normal blood pressure, while more than half (56.6%) showed abnormal blood pressure levels ranging from elevated blood pressure to hypertension crisis. Around 13.0% had high blood pressure, 19.0% had stage I hypertension, 22.2% had stage II hypertension, and 1.3% were in hypertension crisis. Age, employment, family type, socioeconomic position, family history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, renal illness, thyroid diseases, and a lack of health insurance were all found to be significant predictors of hypertension using logistic regression. Alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet, insufficient sleep, low water intake, excessive screen time, and poor stress management were all substantially linked to hypertension. Furthermore, the waist-hip ratio emerged as a significant anthropometric predictor, emphasizing the importance of central obesity in elevated blood pressure.

Conclusion: The study discovered that people residing in particular rural areas of Gujarat’s Anand district had a high prevalence of hypertension. Several sociodemographic, clinical, behavioural and anthropometric characteristics were shown to be substantially linked with hypertension. The findings emphasize the need of routine screening, early identification of susceptible people, and promotion of healthy lifestyle choices in the rural community in order to prevent hypertension and accompanying cardiovascular problems.