Uncovering the hidden epidemic: Prevalence and predictors of undiagnosed hypertension among older adults in India

Abstract

Among all noncommunicable diseases, hypertension is the leading cause of death and also a major threat globally. Low-and middle-income countries such as India have higher rates of undiagnosed hypertension since majority of the hypertensive individuals are asymptomatic. This study aimed to estimate the burden of undiagnosed hypertension and its association with various factors using the SAGE Wave-2 dataset. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used and present as an adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 1516 (21.3% [95% CI: 20.4–22.3]) were found to have undiagnosed hypertension and higher predilection among urban females and increases with age. Regular screening is crucial to identify individuals with hypertension who remain undiagnosed, particularly as they get older.