Prehypertension and associated factors among medical students of SSIMS & RC, Davangere--a cross-sectional study.

Hypertension is a chronic condition of concern and a major public health problem posing a challenge to population in socioeconomic and demographic transition. Prehypertension in adolescents and young adults is an important risk for developing hypertension in later years of life. Therefore this study was taken up among medicos of this institute to study about prehypertension and its associated factors. The objective of the study was to see the prevalence of prehypertension and its associated factors among medicos of SSIMS&RC, Devangere. The study duration was from 1st July 2009 to 31st August 2009. The sample size worked out to be 100 and this set of participants was selected by systematic random sampling. A predesigned and pretested proforma was used to collect the relevant data. Blood pressure (BP) was measured in sitting posture using a standard sphygmomanometer on two different occasions and the average was noted. BP was classified as per the Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of blood pressure. Data was analysed by SPSS. Descriptive statistics was presented by, percentage, mean and SD. Groups are compared with the help of z-test, t-test and Chi-square test. All the participants were in the age group of 18 to 22 years and mean age was 20.29 +/- 0.86 years. Among 100 participants 56 were males and 44 were females. The mean systolic blood pressure was 117.68 +/- 7.16 mm Hg and that of diastolic blood pressure was 77.3 +/- 7.93 min Hg. The percentage of prehypertension and hypertension was 67%. Three participants were diagnosed to be hypertensive.