Association between Type of Cooking Fuel and Hypertension among Women Aged 30-49 Years in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Study.

Abstract

This study analyzed data from the 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey to examine the association between cooking fuel type and hypertension among women aged 30-49 years. From an initial sample of 20,127 women aged 15-49 years, a final analytical sample of 1,126 women aged 30-49 years was derived based on self-reported hypertension diagnoses and complete data availability. Among these women, 221(19.6%) reported being diagnosed with high blood pressure by a medical professional. The majority (81.2%) used unclean cooking fuels and 81.6% were not diagnosed with hypertension. Bivariate chi-square analysis showed no significant association between type of cooking fuel and hypertension (p=0.79). Univariate logistic regression similarly indicated no significant relationship (OR=0.95, 95% CI: 0.66-1.38). Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, BMI, education, occupation, residence, wealth and media exposure showed a marginal 5.0% higher likelihood of hypertension among women using unclean fuels compared to those using clean fuels. Additionally, rural residence, agricultural occupation and higher education were associated with a reduced risk of hypertension. Although the study did not find a statistically significant link between cooking fuel type and hypertension, socioeconomic and demographic factors played a more prominent role. These findings highlight the need for integrated public health strategies that address multiple determinants of hypertension risk among Bangladeshi women.