The Journal of Community Health Management

Page No. 5-10

Authors: Rakesh Ranjan, Siraj Ahmad, Mukesh Shukla, Sneha Soni

Background: Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension are nowadays emerging as threatening public health issues affecting about each and every individual worldwide. Prevalence of hypertension has shown an uprising trend over recent past few decades. Objectives: The present cross-sectional study was therefore undertaken to study the various risk factors associated with hypertension in a rural population of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Material & Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 796 adult individuals (≥18 years) in rural population of Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. Multistage sampling was used for the enrolment of study participants. A predesigned, pre-tested semi structured questionnaire was used to collect data about basicsocio-demographic information. Anthropometry and blood pressure were measured with standard instruments and appropriate procedures for all the study subjects. Results: Prevalence of hypertension was 24.1%. Proportion of individuals affected was comparatively higher in males (25.1%) than females (22.4%). Numbers of hypertensive subjects were found to increase with increase in age group. Proportion of prehypertensive subjects was even quite high (11.9%). Body mass index (BMI) and waist hip ratio were found significantly more in hypertensive than among normotensive. Variables like upper socio-economic status, sedentary type life style and consumption of tobacco along with alcohol were found to be significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusion: Prevalence of hypertension was found to be quite high, which emphasizes the need for promoting community based comprehensive primordial prevention strategies on large scale at grass root level with provision of basic screening health approaches services.

Page No. 18-23

Authors: Sonal R. Deshpande, Pragati G. Rathod, Sharad Mankar, Uday Narlawar, Suresh Ughade

Introduction: Essential hypertension in adults has its onset in childhood. Early detection of hypertension is important to initiate appropriate measures. Present study was planned to estimate the prevalence of systemic hypertension and pre-hypertension amongst school going adolescents and to study some epidemiological factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried at a school in Nagpur among 871 adolescents aged 10 to 18 years during September 2014 to March 2015. Demographic information, family history of hypertension, dietary history and history of physical activity were collected using pre-designed proforma. Height, weight and BP measurements were taken using standard techniques. BMI was calculated. Results: Out of 871 adolescents, 462 (53.05%) were males. Mean age was 13.86+2.2 (10–18) years. Prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 10.10% and 8.27% respectively. Prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension increased with increasing age. Overweight and obesity was found to be the most important factor related with pre-hypertension & hypertension. Other factors which were significantly related with pre-hypertension and hypertension were family history of hypertension, junk food consumption more than three times a week, inadequate physical activity & higher socioeconomic status. Significant difference was not found with respect to factors like gender, added salt consumption and inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetable. Conclusion: High prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension is found amongst school going adolescents. Prevalence increased with increasing age. Overweight and obesity, inadequate physical activity, higher socio-economic status, consumption of junk food and family history of hypertension are found to be significantly related with pre-hypertension and hypertension.

Page No. 30-34

Authors: Ashok Kumar Shah, Monu Sarin, Busi Karunanand, SC Mohapatra, Sajad Ahmad Bhat

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the metabolic endocrine disorder that affects 4–12% women of reproductive age and is a major cause of anovulatory infertility. Besides reproductive and obstetric complications, the consequences of PCOS extend beyond the reproductive axis and may lead to the substantial risk for the development of metabolic syndrome with the characteristic features of insulin resistance, central obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Objectives: To evaluate the hormonal status and its association with the anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters in females diagnosed with PCOS. Materials & Methods: In this case-control study, women clinically diagnosed with PCOS (N=85) and age matched healthy control female subjects (N=85) in the age group (18 – 35) years were enrolled. Body mass index (BMI), waist: hip ratio (WHR), Fasting Blood Glucose, Lipid profile and Hormonal levels were estimated in both the groups and further compared using student t-test. Hormonal levels were also correlated with the anthropometric measurements & biochemical parameters and the results were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Results: We found that the levels of TSH, LH, FSH, LH/FSH ratio & prolactin were significantly raised in PCOS females as compared to healthy females (P < 0.0001). TSH showed significant positive correlation with anthropometric measurements (BMI, waist-to-hip ratio), biochemical parameters (TC, TG, LDL & TC/HDL ratio) and hormonal profile (LH, FSH, LH/FSH ratio & Prolactin) of PCOS women. Discussion & Conclusion: We found that there is a derangement in hormonal & biochemical status of women suffering from PCOS that leads to an altered energy metabolism and endocrinological cascade of PCOS. Furthermore, our study showed high prevalence of hypothyroidism, dyslipidemia and increased levels of LH, FSH, PRL & a higher LH/FSH ratio in women with PCOS, which may further contribute towards the progress of metabolic disorders, irregular menstruation and infertility.