Prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among bank employees of Sullia Taluk, Karnataka

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a leading cause of mortality in the world and is ranked third as a cause of disability-adjusted life years. Epidemiological studies have shown that sedentary life-style and stress are important risk factors for hypertension. The job of bank employees is both sedentary and stressful. Studies on hypertension among bank employees are sparse in India; hence, this study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and identify its risk factors in bank employees of Sullia. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted among employees of 13 banks located in Sullia. Data was collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Blood pressure was measured following Joint National Committee-7 criteria. Analysis of data was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17. P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: A total of 117 bank employees including 18 managers/assistant managers, 33 officers and 66 clerks participated in the study. The prevalence of hypertension was 39.3%. Increasing age, family history of hypertension, body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m 2 and abnormal waist-hip ratio were significantly more frequent among the hypertensive than normotensive population. Conclusion: The bank employees had a high prevalence of hypertension and they must be considered an occupational risk group. We recommend periodic screening for early detection of hypertension in them.