Abstract

A community based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to assess the prevalence of hypertension with respect to demographic profile of kashmiri population. The study was taken from Oct. 2012 to Sept. 2013 in District Pulwama. The sampling method used was multistage, 10% villages from each block were taken for study using population proportion to size method (PPS). From each selected village 5% households were taken by systemic random method for the study. Minimum sample required was calculated. We have taken a sample size of 2100, out of which 1007 participants were males and 1093 participants were females. In each household, inmates of age 18 years and above were screened for hypertension. Those found fulfilling the inclusion criteria laid down for hypertension (JNC-VII 2003) were subjected to pretested questionnaire and two blood pressure readings were taken. The study population was Screened and two blood pressure readings 10 minutes apart after the subject was resting for at least 5 minutes in a sitting position, by mercury sphygmomanometer which was standardized; The first and the fifth Korotkoffs sounds were taken as indicative of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively. The average of the two readings of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was used as the blood pressure of the participant. In results; The overall prevalence was 14.56%, 13.8% in males and 15.3% in females.4.84%, 8.5% and 6.8% females were in pre-hypertension, stage-I and stage-II hypertension respectively. Among males 4.76% in pre-hypertension, 6.5% in stage-I and 7.3% were with hypertension. The distribution of hypertension, among pre-hypertensives, 52.47% were females and 47.52% were males. Among hypertensive subjects, 54.47% were females and 45.42% were males. Widowed study subjects had higher tendency to have hypertension 32% in males and 30.89% in females. Hypertension was more observed in illiterates than educated population being 15.47% in illiterates and goes on decreasing as educational status increases. Lowest in postgraduates 7.14%.Hypertension was more in housewives 15.6% followed by farmers 14.1% and skilled workers 13%.

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