Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of diabetes and hypertension among elderly persons in a rural area of Ballabgarh, Haryana

BACKGROUND: In India, from 1971 to 2011, the proportion of elderly population has increased from 5.3% to 8.6%. According to the National Sample Survey, 60(th) round (2004), out of every 1000 elderly persons living in rural India, 40 were estimated to be diabetic, and 36 were estimated to be hypertensive. The objective of the study was to find the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in elderly persons in a rural area of Ballabgarh, Haryana, and to assess the awareness, treatment, and control among them. METHOD: A total of 420 persons aged 60 years and above were selected by simple random sampling. House-to-house visit was done. A pretested interview schedule was administered. Blood pressure was measured using digital blood pressure machine. Two milliliters of venous blood was collected in vials for HbA1c estimation. RESULTS: Of the 420 participants, 386 were available for blood pressure measurement, and 374 were available for HbA1c estimation. The prevalence of diabetes was 21.7%, and that of hypertension was 50.3%. Among diabetics, 45.7% were aware, of which, 94.6% were treated, and among them, 34.3% had their blood sugar under control. Among hypertensives, 58.8% were aware, of which, 96.5% were treated, and of the treated participants, 24.5% had controlled blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence, low awareness, and low proportion of controlled diseased population highlights the importance of strengthening primary care and improving awareness about diabetes and hypertension among elderly persons in rural areas.