Basic Risk Factors Awareness in Non-Communicable Diseases (BRAND) Study Among People Visiting Tertiary Care Centre in...

Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are the major causes of mortality and morbidity globally. Awareness about NCDs and their risk factors has an important role in prevention and management strategies of these NCDs.

1) To assess the awareness of risk factors contributing to NCDs among the patients visiting tertiary care hospital in Mysuru district; 2) To compare the difference in awareness of risk factors for NCDs among the urban and rural patients with/ without NCD visiting the tertiary care hospital.

A cross- sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care centre- JSS Hospital, Mysuru, Karnataka from March 2013 - August 2013. The patients visiting Medicine OPD during the period were the study subjects. The subjects were allocated into 4 groups: Urban without any NCD, Urban with atleast one NCD, rural without NCD, rural with atleast one NCD. A pretested questionnaire regarding awareness of risk factors for NCDs was used in the study and frequency and proportions were used to analyse the data.

A total of 400 subjects, 100 subjects in each group were included in the study. Out of these subjects about 65% of the urban group and 42% of the rural group subjects were aware of the NCDs and their risk factors. Least awareness was observed among the rural subjects without any NCDs (35%).

The awareness of risk factors of NCDs and knowledge regarding prevention of NCDs was not satisfactory. The results highlighted the need and scope for health education and interventions to improve the awareness about NCDs and their risk factors.