Predictors of Hypertension among Indian Women of Reproductive Age Group: An Analysis from NFHS -5 Data

Introduction: Hypertension among women not only augments the risk of cardiovascular diseases but also leads to antenatal and intra-natal complications. Materials and Methods: A subset of data collected during National Family Health Survey-5, comprising of 7,24,115 women, 15–49 years of age was analysed to identify key predictors of hypertension, using Probit Regression Model (PRM) which was run separately for rural and urban women. Results: Overall prevalence of hypertension among women of reproductive age group was 11% (10.4% and 12% in rural and urban areas respectively). 5% and 13.41% of women were obese and 1.2% and 2.6% were diabetic in rural and urban areas respectively. Obese, uneducated, rich women and those on medications showed higher prevalence, while women consuming milk, eggs, chicken, fruits, and vegetables daily showed lower prevalence. On using PRM, significant predictors of hypertension were increasing age, rural residence, pregnancy, increasing weight, diabetes, illiteracy, access to medical insurance, and indulgence in alcohol and smoking. Conclusion: Findings from the study contribute to the body of evidence favouring multifactorial causation. Hypertension awareness should be promoted especially among rural residents, older women, with emphasis on intake of balanced diet with less consumption of sodium and increased intake of fruits and vegetables.