Assessment of Selected Non-communicable Disease Risk Factors among Patients Attending Urban Health and Training Centre of a Medical College in Coastal Karnataka

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) consist of a large group of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and cancer which are in progress in India which needs change in lifestyle for reducing their incidence. This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of NCD risk factors and their association with prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in an Urban Health Centre of a Medical College of Mangaluru. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study wherein the data were obtained from NCD registers of patients in an urban health and training centre who were screened for NCD risk factors. Data on risk factors of all adult patients attending the NCD desk were included in the study. Results: Total data of 921 patients were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 47 (±14.4) years. Males constituted the majority (80.8%) and the proportions of known cases of hypertension and diabetes were 28.2% and 16.1%, respectively. Associations of age groups, history of alcohol use, and family histories of hypertension and diabetes with presence of hypertension were found to be statistically significant ( P < 0.001). Similarly association between the presence of diabetes with age groups, history of tobacco, and alcohol use were found to be statistically significant ( P <0.05). Conclusion: Present study emphasizes the upward trend of the presence of NCD risk factors. Screening of risk factors and NCDs with comprehensive health education needs to be provided to reduce the NCD morbidity and mortality. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, non-communicable diseases, risk factors