Study Warns of Rising Hypertension and Diabetes Cases in Raipur Slum: Urges Early Screening

“The likelihood of hypertension was more than twice as high among individuals consuming alcohol (aOR: 2.98) and those with diabetes (aOR: 2.55). Similarly, the risk of diabetes increases with advancing age and the presence of hypertension (aOR: 2.57),” the researchers wrote in Cureus. They emphasized that “these findings highlight the importance of early screening and targeted interventions to alleviate the burden of these conditions in underserved communities.”

Non-communicable diseases continue to be a major health challenge in India, with hypertension and diabetes exerting a disproportionate financial and healthcare burden on underprivileged communities. Given the significant impact of these conditions, Ashish W. Khobragade, Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, IND, and colleagues sought to assess their prevalence and identify key risk factors in an urban slum of Raipur city.

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a retrospective record-based study in an urban slum of Raipur using data from the population-based screening register maintained at the Urban Health Training Centre, AIIMS Raipur. They extracted information on adults screened between January and December 2023, analyzing sociodemographic details, lifestyle factors, family history of non-communicable diseases, and medication history. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension was estimated, and logistic regression was performed to identify key risk factors for both conditions.

Key Findings:

• The study included 1,005 participants with a median age of 48.
• The prevalence of hypertension was 33%, while diabetes mellitus was observed in 16% of participants.
• Increased age (aOR: 1.06), alcohol consumption (aOR: 2.98), and diabetes mellitus (aOR: 2.55) were identified as significant risk factors for hypertension.
• The risk of diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with increasing age (aOR: 1.03) and the presence of hypertension (aOR: 2.57).

The study highlights the high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in urban slum populations, highlighting their vulnerability to non-communicable diseases.

The authors identified advancing age, alcohol consumption, and diabetes mellitus as key risk factors for hypertension, while age and hypertension were significant predictors of diabetes.

“Many affected individuals remain unaware of their condition or struggle with disease management. Targeted interventions focusing on lifestyle modifications, early screening, and treatment adherence are essential to reducing the burden of these conditions in underserved communities,” they concluded.

Reference:

Khobragade A W, Ruikar M M, Singh G, et al. (March 21, 2025) The Burden of Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus and Their Predictors in an Urban Slum of Chhattisgarh, India: A Retrospective Record-Based Study. Cureus 17(3): e80953. doi:10.7759/cureus.80953