Background: Hypertension being a prevalent non-communicable disease in India is studied for many years. But studies among the tribal population in West Bengal has rarely being done.
Objective: The study aims to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and its socio-demographic determinants among the tribal adult population.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2014 to May 2015 in the four rural blocks of Siliguri subdivision, West Bengal. The study interviewed 172 tribal participants aged 25-64 years using a pre-designed and pre-tested schedule. Participants were selected by two-stage cluster sampling. Blood pressure was measured, and anthropometric measurements were taken. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were applied to find out the determinants of hypertension.
Results: Overall prevalence of hypertension among 172 participants was 22.1% (95% CI: 16.5%, 28.8%) and 41.3% (34.2%, 48.8%) were pre-hypertensive. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed odds of hypertension was significantly higher among middle aged participants (35-44 years) (AOR: 4.4; 95%CI: 1.1, 17.2), physically inactive (AOR: 11.9; 95%CI: 1.4, 101.4) and participants who had abdominal obesity (AOR: 5.9; 95%CI: 1.8, 18.8). Among the hypertensives 42.1% (16/38) were aware of their hypertension status, 15.8% were under treatment and 10.5% had controlled hypertension.
Conclusion: Hypertension prevalence was high among the adult tribal population of rural Siliguri. Level of awareness and treatment was low among the participants. Raised prevalence of hypertension was associated with middle age, physical inactivity and abdominal obesity.
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2022: 6.012
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