Is Higher Cadre a Risk Factor for Hypertension among Bank Employees

Research question: Is higher cadre or professional stress among bank employees, a risk factor for hypertension? Objectives: 1. To determine the association of higher cadre & other covariates among bank employees, with hypertension. 2. To assess the level of awareness among the subjects. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Participants: Bank employees (106) in non-nationalized banks of Gulbarga City in Karnataka. Results: Prevalence of hypertension was 35.7% Higher prevalence was found with age > 50 yrs (55.2%), length of service > 20 yrs (56.5%), officer cadre (64.8%), BMI > 25 (47.4%), family history of hypertension (44.2%) and high socio-economic status (42.7%). Logistic regression analysis showed that prevalence of hypertension is significantly associated with cadre of employees (Officers more at risk.) Among the hypertensives, 42.5% were aware of their hypertensive status, all were on treatment and 29.4% were under control. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension was high among officer cadre, as seniority of bank employees brings in more and more stress and responsibilities on them. Inculcation and practice of the art of mental relaxation has to be promoted as a major intervention in the primary prevention of hypertension.