Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension in urban and rural populations of Vadodara, Gujarat

Hypertension, one of the most common non-communicable diseases, is associated with various modifiable risk factors. This study was carried out to compare the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension in urban and rural populations above 30 years of age. An OPD-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Urban Health Training Centre (UHTC) and Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) of the Medical College, affiliated to a tertiary care hospital, from May to July 2023, enrolling 100 participants each from UHTC and RHTC, aged more than 30 years. Using a pre-tested questionnaire, socio-demographic, personal and family details, lifestyle risk factors, blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were taken. The proportion of hypertensive patients was 41% in urban and 27% in rural (z-value: 2.11, p-value: <0.05), of which more than half were males in both urban (58%) and rural (59%). A major proportion of hypertensive patients was found in the age group of above 70 years in both urban (10 out of 12 participants) and rural populations (7 out of 10 participants). Out of the diagnosed cases, 90% of urban and 70% of rural patients were on regular medication. Family history of hypertension (z-value: 3.43, p-value: <0.05), diabetes (z-value: 2.73, p-value: <0.05) and lifestyle risk factors like lack of physical activity (z-value: 2.93, p-value: <0.05), and stress (z-value: 3.39, p-value: <0.05) were significantly higher in urban areas, whereas smokeless tobacco consumption (z-value: 4, p-value: <0.05) and high salt diet (z-value: 3.37, p-value: <0.05) were significantly higher in rural areas. This study provides insights into how different environmental factors and cultural differences affect prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension and helps in targeted public health interventions. The result will contribute to a better understanding of how environmental and cultural factors influence hypertension in a rapidly industrialising state, offering insights that can guide public health policies and more targeted interventions aimed at reducing the burden of hypertension in both settings in Gujarat