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INTRODUCTIONHigh blood pressure (BP) is a major public health problem in India and its prevalence is rapidly increasing among both urban and rural populations. 1 In fact, hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease in India. The prevalence of hypertension ranges from 20-40% in urban adults and 12-17% among rural adults. The number of people with hypertension is projected to increase from 118 million in 2000 to 214 million in 2025, with nearly equal numbers of men and women.2 In India, the trend is increasing due to changes in lifestyle.3 Rapid unplanned urbanization also tends to promote the development of hypertension as a result of unhealthy environments that encourage consumption of fast food, sedentary behaviour, tobacco use and the harmful use of alcohol. Finally, the risk of hypertension increases with age due to stiffening of blood vessels, although ageing of ABSTRACT Background: Hypertension is an important public health problem, which is common, asymptomatic, readily detectable, having preventable risk factors and often lead to lethal complications (viz. stroke, coronary heart disease) if left untreated. Identification of different risk factors is important for the prevention and control of hypertension. The objectives was to estimate prevalence of hypertension among people of age 20 years and above in an urban slum area and to study the association between risk factors and hypertension. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was carried out among the adults residing in the urban slum area, catered by U.H.C. of the Department of Community Medicine, Dr. V.M.G.M.C Solapur, Maharashtra, India. The sample size was 1122 adults in the age group of 20 years and above. By using systematic random sampling method, every 5th household was selected and data was collected by house to house visits, clinical examination and interview of study population with a pre-designed pre-tested proforma. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to analyze data. Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 15.15 %. Prevalence of hypertension was slightly higher in males (15.86%) than prevalence of hypertension in females (14.51%). Age, body mass index, Physical activity, salt intake >5 grams, smoking, family h/o hypertension and waist-hip ratio were significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusions: Prevalence of hypertension in urban slum area was found to be 15.15%. Age, BMI, Physical activity, salt intake, smoking, family h/o hypertension and WHR are the risk factors found in study.

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Background: In Urban slum areas, people having problems like poverty, un-employement, illiteracy and addiction. These all are having influence on Blood Pressure level. The objective was to estimate prevalence of hypertension among people of age 20 years and above and to study socio-demographic factors associated with hypertension. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was carried out among the adults residing in the urban slum area, catered by U.H.C. of the Department of Community Medicine. The sample size was 1122 adults in the age group of 20 years and above. By using systematic random sampling method, every 5th household was selected and data was collected by house to house visits, clinical examination and interview of study population with a pre-designed pre-tested proforma. Chi-square test was used to analyze data. Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 15.15 %. Various factors associated with hypertension were age, religion, occupation, higher socioeconomic class, type of family, marital status, type of diet, smoking and alcohol intake. Conclusions: Hypertension is not only problem in affluent society but also in slum area.