ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT WORK, LEISURE TIME AND PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION AND AWARENESS REGARDING HYPERTENSION IN THE GERIATRIC POPULATION IN A BLOCK OF DIBRUGARH DISTRICT

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a common and powerful predisposing factor for stroke, coronary disease; cardiac failure and peripheral artery disease imposing a 2 -3 fold increased risk of one or more of these atherosclerotic sequelae.
Objective: To see the association between physical activity at work, leisure time and prevalence of hypertension To assess the awareness regarding hypertension in the study population.
Methods: The Community based cross-sectional study was conducted All elderly people aged 60 years and above of both the sexes residing in villages under Lahowal Block of Dibrugarh District in the Department of Community Medicine, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh. The study was carried out over a period of one year from August 2013 to July 2014.
Results: Out of the 370 study participants, 56% were aware of their blood pressure status. Among the hypertensive participants, 60.6% were aware of their blood pressure status 44.3% of the non-hypertensive participants were aware of their blood pressure status. In the present study, amongst the 264 hypertensive participants, 60.6% were aware of their hypertensive status and 55% were currently under treatment of which 20.4% were under control with treatment.
Conclusions: Physical activity at work and leisure time physical activity were observed to be significantly associated with the prevalence of hypertension. Out of the 370 elderly, 56% were aware of their blood pressure status. Among the non-hypertensive elderly, 44.3% were aware of their blood pressure status. Among the hypertensive elderly, 60.6% were aware of their blood pressure status and 55% were currently on treatment of which 20.4% were under control with treatment.