Exploring sex differences and associated risk factors of hypertension among the Bhil tribe of rajasthan, India

The present study aimed to determine sex differences in the prevalence of hypertension among the Bhil tribe. The study was conducted among the Bhil tribe in Kanoi village, district Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, with a total sample size of 150 participants (55 males and 95 females). Socio-demographic, physiological, and lifestyle variables were considered as predictor variables. Chi-square tests were performed to examine associations between hypertension and predictor variables, while binary logistic regression was used in four models to assess sex differences in hypertension prevalence. The study found that 55.33% of the respondents were hypertensive, with a significantly higher prevalence of 76.36% among males and 43.16% among females (p = 0.000). Bivariate results showed that respondents’ age (p = 0.051), employment status (p = 0.002), anaemic status (p = 0.001), family history of hypertension (p = 0.013), smoking status (p = 0.034), and intake of salt (p = 0.000) were found significantly associated with the prevalence of hypertension. Binary logistic regression showed that females were significantly less likely to be hypertensive than males in Model I (OR = 0.24, CI = 0.12, 0.50, p = 0.001). After adjusting for all variables, females remained significantly less likely to be hypertensive than males in Model IV (OR = 0.13, CI = 0.02, 0.84, p = 0.01), indicating that sex of the participants plays a significant role in the prevalence of hypertension. The respondents who belonged to the age group 28–37 years were more likely to be hypertensive compared to the age group 18–27 years (OR = 6.07, CI = 1.0,36.83,p = 0.05). Respondents who intake more sugar (OR = 3.41, CI = 0.89, 13.11, p = 0.05) and intake more salt (OR = 38.68, CI = 11.12, 98.23, p = 0.001) were significantly more likely to be hypertensive compared to their respective counterparts. Although with a small sample size, the study suggests that the prevalence of hypertension varies significantly by sex of the participants, with males being more prone to hypertension than females. Despite its limitations, this study provides valuable insights into public health and highlights the need for targeted, sex-specific healthcare interventions in a broader context.