1Department of Forensic Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur, Chhatisgarh-495009, Madhya Pradesh
2Anthropological Survey of India, Southern Regional Centre, Mysore, India
3Department of Anthropology and Tribal Development, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur, Chhatisgarh-495009, Madhya Pradesh, India
4Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, West Bengal, India
We studied dimorphism in blood pressure levels as well as the prevalence of hypertension among adult Savara tribals of village Munchingput Mandalam, Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. A cross-sectional study was used to collect data on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse rate. A total of 148 adults (95 males and 53 females) were measured and classified into three age-groups, i.e., Group I: 23–32 years, Group II: 33–42 years and Group III: >≥43 years. Negative significant sex difference in SBP among age group I (t = –2.409; p < 0.05) were observed. Positive significant sex difference in DBP among age group I (t = 2.545; p < 0.05) were also observed. Significant age group difference was noticed for SBP (F =4.332; p < 0.01) among males. Based on SBP the prevalence of prehypertension and stage I hypertension in males were 2.1% and 1.1%, respectively. Similarly, in females the prevalence of prehypertension and stage I hypertension based on SBP were 5.7% and 9.4%, respectively. On the basis of DBP the prevalence of prehypertension in males was 1.0%. Significant sex difference (x2 = 7.691; p < 0.05) in prevalence of elevated blood pressure was observed. Thus we can conclude that females of this studied ethnic group are more prone to have prehypertension and stage-I hypertension than their male counterparts.
Cardiovascular disease, female, prehypertension, PTGs, male
