A Tata Memorial study of nearly 40,000 adults in Barshi shows 31% have high blood pressure. Conducted between 2015 and 2020, the research found only 18% of these people were aware of their condition. Experts said the findings underline the need to improve access to blood pressure screening in rural communities.

Tata Memorial's study of nearly 40,000 adults in Barshi reveals major gaps in blood pressure awareness, treatment and control.

Nearly one in three adults in a sample population from rural Maharashtra had high blood pressure, but fewer than one in five were aware of their condition, according to research published in npj Cardiovascular Health.

The study, titled Prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension among adults in rural India: results from the Indian Study of Healthy Ageing (ISHA) in Barshi, highlights major gaps in the detection, treatment and control of hypertension.

Study of nearly 40,000 adults

Researchers from the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology at Tata Memorial Centre, an aided institution under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, analysed data from nearly 40,000 adults aged 30-69 years.

Participants were part of the Indian Study of Healthy Ageing in Barshi, Maharashtra, conducted between 2015 and 2020. Their blood pressure was measured, and they provided information about previous hypertension diagnoses and the use of blood pressure-lowering medication. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mmHg, or self-reported use of blood pressure-lowering medication.

One in three participants had hypertension

The researchers found that 31% of participants had hypertension, with prevalence increasing with age. After accounting for age and sex, the condition was also more common among people with higher levels of education. It affected half of participants with previously diagnosed cardiovascular disease.

Overall, 25% of participants had undiagnosed hypertension, while 6% had previously diagnosed hypertension. Awareness was particularly low. Only 14% of men and 21% of women with hypertension reported having previously received a diagnosis.

Treatment did not always mean control

Among participants who had been diagnosed, nearly three-quarters (73%) reported taking blood pressure-lowering medication. However, blood pressure was adequately controlled in only 39% of those receiving treatment.

The findings indicate that many people remain at increased risk of cardiovascular disease despite taking medication, highlighting the importance of regular monitoring and effective treatment.

Researchers call for better screening

The researchers said the findings underline the need to improve access to blood pressure screening and diagnosis in rural communities, alongside effective treatment and long-term follow-up. Earlier detection is particularly important among younger adults, who may otherwise live with untreated hypertension for many years.

Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director of the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, and a senior author of the study, said: "This is an important study highlighting the need to screen rural populations and improve hypertension control. This is essential to reduce deaths from chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease."

Bastian Bohrmann, HDR UK Early Career Research Fellow at Oxford Population Health and co-first author, said: "The high proportion of undiagnosed hypertension, particularly at younger ages, highlights the need to improve blood pressure screening and early detection. This is especially important for younger adults, who may live with undiagnosed and untreated hypertension for many years, increasing their lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease."

Rajesh Dikshit, Professor of Epidemiology at the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology at Tata Memorial Centre and a senior author, emphasises that the study emphasises the importance of properly managing hypertension, as high blood pressure "remains common even among people taking antihypertensive medication."

The study also highlights the importance of generating large-scale evidence from rural populations, where data on hypertension prevalence, awareness and management remain limited.