Community-based epidemiological study on hypertension in Pu-Li, Taiwan

A community-based study was carried out by the Yang-Ming Crusade in 1987-1988 in Pu-Li Town, Taiwan. We interviewed 1738 out of 2573 registered residents more than 30 years old and their fasting blood samples were drawn and tested. The prevalences of definite hypertension (greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg) and borderline hypertension (140/90 to 160/95 mm Hg) were 18.7% and 16.0%, respectively. To study factors associated with hypertension, univariate analysis was applied first. Stratified analyses by age and sex were used for interaction assessment. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. According to the final model, the significant factors related to definite hypertension were age (greater than or equal to 50 v less than 50 years of age, odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6 to 4.3), physical activity (frequent v infrequent, OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.6), alcohol intake (yes v no, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.6), and cholesterol (greater than or equal to 240 v less than 240 mg/dL, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9). Significant factors related to borderline hypertension were age (only for those cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL, greater than or equal to 50 v less than 50 years of age, OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.1 to 7.9), cholesterol (only for those age less than 50, greater than or equal to 240 v less than 240 mg/dL, OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 7.8), physical activity (frequent v infrequent, OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.7), and alcohol intake (yes v no, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)