Research on presence of chosen risk factors for hypertension in medical students

Abstract

Hypertension represents one of the most significant preventable causes of death worldwide, and accordingly the target group for its prevention and early detection primarily refers to young population. Assessment of prevalence of selected risk factors for the development of hypertension among students, and determination of the existence of differences between genders, defined age groups and included faculties. A cross-sectional study was carried out during 2013., at Faculties of Medical Sciences, University of Belgrade. Respondents completed an questionnaire specially designed for the purpose of this study. Categorical data were analyzed using statistical chi-square test of independence. The study included 600 respondents, mainly female (61.2%), with the mean age of 53.1 ± 17.4 years. More than third of the participants (38,6%) reported the genetic predisposition to development of hypertension. Recorded modifiable risk factors were overweight (22,33%), regular extra salt intake (86,3%) and smoking (32,8%). The results of the study indicate presence of reversible risk factors in the observed population. Designing educational programs on chronic diseases during graduate studies is necessary to keep hypertension from developing at older age and mitigate the number of existing risk factors development.

Hipertenzija predstavlja jedan od najvažnijih preventabilnih uzroka smrtnosti širom sveta, na osnovu čega ciljnu grupu za njenu prevenciju i ranu detekciju čini pre svega populacija mladih. Ispitivanje zastupljenosti odabranih faktora rizika za razvoj hipertenzije u populaciji studenata, i postojanja razlike među polovima, definisanim starosnim grupama i fakultetima. Studija preseka sprovedena je tokom 2013. godine na fakultetima medicinskih nauka Univerziteta u Beogradu. Ispitanici su popunjavali namenski kreiran upitnik. Kategorički parametri su analizirani primenom statističkog Hi-kvadrat testa nezavisnosti. U studiji je učestvovalo 600 ispitanika prosečne starosti 23.96 ± 2.09 godina, od čega je bilo više osoba ženskog pola (61,2%). Genetsku predispoziciju za razvoj hipertenzije ima više od trećine ispitanika (38,6%). Od prisutnih preventabilnih faktora rizika kao najznačajniji su zabeleženi prekomerna uhranjenost (22.33%), redovan dodatni unos soli kroz konzumaciju slanih grickalica (86,3%) i pušenje (32,8%). Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na zastupljenost reverzibilnih faktora rizika kod ispitivane populacije. Kako bi se sprečio razvoj hipertenzije u starijem životnom dobu i smanjio broj prisutnih faktora rizika neophodno je razvijanje edukativnih programa o hroničnim bolestima tokom perioda dodiplomskih studija.