Prevalence and associated factors for awareness of hypertension in India: Findings from national survey-4

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that hypertension is increasing, merely 50% are aware of the disease. Being aware of hypertension is important to control it. AIM: The study’s objective was to estimate the level of hypertension awareness in India and explore its associated sociodemographic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data collected in National Family Health Survey 4 (2015–2016) among men aged 15–54 years and women aged 15–49 years were analyzed. Taking awareness of hypertension as an outcome variable, descriptive analysis, and multivariable logistic regression model were performed, by gender. RESULTS: Of 1,41,215 hypertensive individuals analyzed, 34.7% of men and 53.6% of women were aware of being hypertensive. The control among those aware was 67.1% in men and 74.6% in women. The awareness varied among states ranging from 29.6% in Chhattisgarh to 75.6% in Tamil Nadu. The multivariable logistic regression model explained the awareness of hypertension in males increased with age (odds ratios [OR]: 0.226 for 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.139–0.366 for 25–29 years of age increased to 0.599 for 95% CI: 0.48–0.74 for 40–44 years of age), education (OR of 0.66 for 95% CI: 0.51–0.85 for primary increased to 0.69 for 95% CI: 0.54–0.89 for secondary school level), and wealth status (OR of 0.407 for 95% CI: 0.309–0.535 for poor wealth quintile increased to 1.030 for 95% CI: 0.863–1.230 for the richest wealth quintile). For women, the awareness increased with age (OR of 0.306 for 95% CI: 0.119– 0.791 for the age of 20–24 years increased to 0.736 for 95% CI: 0.570–0.951 for the age of 45–49 years) and wealth status (OR of 0.28 for 95% CI: 0.18–0.44 for poor wealth quintile increased to 1.262 for 95% CI: 0.859–1.855 for the richest wealth quintile). CONCLUSION: Improving access to hypertension screening and awareness especially among men, with lower wealth and younger age is needed.