Search

Background: Hypertension, a major non-communicable disease, is responsible for a significant number of global deaths, including approximately 17.9 million yearly. The Global Burden of Disease 2019 (GBD 2019) estimates that 19% of global deaths are attributed to elevated blood pressure. India, with a population of over 1.4 billion, is facing a serious challenge in combating this silent killer. This study aims to analyze the gender-based prevalence of hypertension in India and explore its associated risk factors using data from the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). Methods: NFHS-5 collected data from 636,699 households across all states and union territories. The study includes standardized blood pressure measurements for 17,08,241 individuals aged 15 and above. The data were analyzed using Stata, employing descriptive statistics for the assessment of the prevalence and binary logistic regression to identify predictors of hypertension. Results: The study found the overall prevalence of hypertension in India to be 22.6%, with men (24.1%) having a higher prevalence than women (21.2%). Prevalence increased with age, reaching 48.4% in individuals aged 60 and above. Urban residents had a slightly higher prevalence (25%) than rural residents (21.4%), indicating the rapid spread of hypertension across all populations. Regional variations were observed, with the highest prevalence in Sikkim (37.9%) and the lowest in Rajasthan (16.5%). Increasing age, urban residence, belonging to certain religions (Muslim and other than Hindu or Muslim), and being classified as Scheduled Tribes (ST) were associated with a higher likelihood of hypertension. Conversely, belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) or Other Backward Classes (OBC), being currently unmarried, and having higher education were associated with a lower likelihood of hypertension. Wealth index analysis revealed that those in the richest quintile were more likely to have hypertension. Behavioural risk factors, such as alcohol consumption, overweight, obesity, increased waist circumference, and high blood glucose levels, are positively associated with hypertension. Conclusion: Hypertension is a significant health burden in India, affecting both men and women. Age is the strongest non-modifiable predictor for both men and women. However, ageing women have higher odds of hypertension than ageing men, and this distinction becomes much more evident in their older ages. Obese women, based on BMI, have higher odds of hypertension than men. However, hypertension prevalence is slightly higher among men who are overweight or obese compared to women. BMI, waist circumference, random glucose level, alcohol use, and education level emerged as major predictors. Health education and awareness campaigns are critical to control the growing burden of hypertension in India. Policymakers must focus on preventive measures, targeting lifestyle changes and improved healthcare access for both men and women. By addressing these risk factors, India can make significant progress in controlling hypertension and reducing its impact on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian retail sector is in the transient stage and there is an ever-increasing demand from new and expanding retail chains. Retailing has changed and expanded in all industries, be it apparel, jewelry, footwear, FMCGs, durables, Groceries, food etc. The number of Groceries stores grown over a period of time is an evidence of change in purchasing trends. It has also brought the much-needed volumedriven growth for companies, particularly in the FMCG sector. The modern consumer is posing a challenging task for Indian retail, more aware, more confident, and much more demanding. The Indian shopper today assumes the identity of a global shopper and is driven more by impulse than by need. An essential phenomenon in India's consumer culture is the emergence of the rural market for several basic consumer goods. Customer loyalty is the prime objective that every retailer aims for with his retail mix elements. In the present scenario the power has shifted from those who sell to those who buy; customers have so many choices these days. This paper explores the emerging trends in the FMCGs' retailing industry. The author has conducted survey of 30 retail units in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The author supported the premise that Fragrance and Music in the store induce buying decisions and is crucial for the success of the store. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In low and middle-income countries, access to cancer diagnosis and treatment is suboptimal. Further, compliance to cancer treatment is a major issue due to various reasons including financial barriers, lack of family support and fear of treatment. This article discusses the determinants of treatment completion in cancer patients of a government-run hospital, in a rural part of Punjab in India. The Sangrur hospital-based cancer registry data for the year 2018 have been used. We have registered 2,969 cancer cases, out of which 2,528 (85%) cases were eligible for the analysis. Of the total 2,528 cases, 1,362 (54%) cases completed the cancer directed treatment and 1,166 (46%) did not. The data have been collected from the electronic medical record (EMR) department and entered into CanReg5 software. The bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to see the effect of variables on the treatment completion. The results indicate that the elderly age group (>60 years) (odds ratio (OR): 0.52, (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31-0.86)), distance from hospital (OR: 0.67, (95% CI: 0.50-0.89)) and access to government health schemes (OR: 0.13, (95% CI: 0.10-0.19)] have direct correlation with the treatment completion. The educated patients (OR: 1.49, (95% CI: 1.13-1.96)) and patients who received curative treatment (OR: 2.7, (95% CI: 1.88-3.88)) have shown 58% and 84% compliance to treatment completion, respectively. The other variables like the clinical extent of disease, religion, gender and income do not have any significant effect on the treatment completion. Determinants like age (young), education, distance from the hospital, curative treatment and availability of government health schemes for financial support have shown positive effects on treatment completion. These factors have to be considered by the cancer hospitals, health departments and policymakers while planning for cancer care or control in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]