Alarming Rise in Diabetes and Hypertension Cases in Ranga Reddy District
Rangareddy District, Telangana: A recent door-to-door health survey, conducted by the Hyderabad-based NGO Helping Hands Foundation (HHF) as part of its Rural NCD Outreach Programme, has unveiled a concerning surge in diabetes and hypertension cases across both rural and urban regions of Ranga Reddy district. The survey, spanning from January to August, screened 10,400 individuals in more than 10 villages within the Kandukur and Maheshwaram mandals. Findings revealed that over 25% of the population is affected by these non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
To gather comprehensive health data, trained counsellors utilized a specialized app to screen residents in villages such as Maheshwaram, Nagaram, Kandukur, Mucherla, and Mirkhantpet. Due to logistical constraints, door-to-door screenings in urban and peri-urban slum areas within a 50-km radius of Hyderabad were not feasible. Instead, HHF clinics screened approximately 5,000 people in urban locations like Hakeempet, Wadi e Mahmood, and Kishanbagh, identifying 2,570 cases of diabetes and hypertension.
Age-Based Differences and Disease Control Challenges
The survey revealed significant age-based and regional differences in disease prevalence. Among individuals aged 31 to 50, urban areas showed a higher incidence of hypertension (32%) compared to rural areas (22.9%). Diabetes was nearly twice as prevalent in urban areas (49%) versus rural regions (26%). Co-morbidities were also 50% higher in urban residents aged 30 to 50.
Conversely, in individuals over 50, rural areas reported higher rates of both diseases. Hypertension affected 72.9% of the rural elderly, compared to 64.8% in urban areas, while diabetes was found in 67% of rural seniors versus 43% in urban counterparts.
The study highlighted significant challenges in managing these conditions in rural areas. Nearly 40% of diabetics in rural regions had poorly controlled blood sugar levels, attributed to factors such as limited healthcare access, low awareness of diet and lifestyle, high rice and alcohol consumption, and poor medication adherence. Mr. Mujtaba Hasan Askari of HHF noted that urban populations benefit from better healthcare services, facilitating improved management of diabetes and hypertension.
Medication Reliance and Healthcare Concerns
A concerning find was that only 25% of patients in both urban and rural areas depend on medications from Primary Health Centres (PHCs) or government hospitals. Many patients expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of available medicines and the lack of multi-drug combinations, leading to substantial out-of-pocket expenses.
Published – September 20, 2024, 12:50 am IST
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/high-prevalence-of-diabetes-hypertension-in-telanganas-rural-and-urban-areas/article68659785.ece
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