Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among women in a rural community of Maharashtra

Abstract

Background: There are very few epidemiological studies on the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among women in the rural population. This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the same in a rural community. This study was carried out in a rural population of Maharashtra in a rural field practice area of a Medical college with which the author is affiliated. The present study is thus a novel effort to measure the burden related to hypertension and related sociodemographic factors in a rural setting among women aged >30 years. Materials and Methods: A random sample of 220 women of 30 years and above were selected from a rural area. The study participants were selected using simple random sampling technique using lottery method. Numbers were allotted to every individual. All the women were then listed. This became the sampling frame. An individual was taken as the sampling unit. The pre-tested pro forma was used to collect the data by trained doctors. Results: Maximum participants in the study were from age group 30–39 years (33.6%), followed by 40–49 years (23.2%). Mean and standard deviation (SD) of age among study participants was found to be 47.7 ± 13.4 years. A total of 155 (70.5%) of the study participants used tobacco in one or the other smokeless form. About 29.5% of the study participants never used tobacco in the lifetime. The most common form of smokeless tobacco consumption was Mishri (71.6%) followed by tobacco which was used by 27% of the participants. Supari was also consumed by few of the participants. About 51.4% of the participants consumed >5 g (World Health Organization recommended level) of salt per day. All the participants consumed extra salt in the form of pickle/papad/table salt over and above that consumed in meals. About 8.2% of the study participants were found to be underweight while 21.2% were overweight. 3.2% of the study participants were in Grade I obesity and only one (0.4%) was in morbid obesity category. 70% of the study participants who had waist-hip ratio ≤ 0.85, whereas 30% of them had ratio > 0.85. Nearly 52% of the study participants gave a positive family history of hypertension among first-degree relatives. Only 22 (68.7%) of those participants diagnosed with hypertension were taking antihypertensive drugs and nearly half of these participants 12 (54.5%) were taking regular medication. 34.1% of participants had systolic blood pressure (BP) >140 than mmHg (isolated systolic hypertension) while 37.2% had diastolic BP >90 mmHg (isolated diastolic hypertension). The mean systolic BP calculated was 130 mmHg with SD 20.7 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of mean to be 127.5–132.8 mmHg, whereas diastolic BP was 83 mmHg with SD 11.1 with 95% CI of mean to be 81.7–84.6 mmHg. The overall prevalence of hypertension among the study participants was calculated to be 23.6% with 95% CI to be 18.2–26.8 mmHg. Conclusion: Prevalence of systolic hypertension in rural community was 34.1% and of diastolic hypertension 37.2% with an overall prevalence of 23.6%. Significant associations were found between the presence of hypertension and various sociodemographic variables using Chi-square test. Furthermore, there was a significant association between hypertension and consumption of smokeless tobacco, low physical activity level.