A Comparative Study on Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases Between Rural & Urban Area of Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is enduring rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions, with an increasing older population and a shifting disease burden from infectious, communicable diseases to chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study was done to determine and compare the prevalence of common risk factors for major NCDs among 270 adults from urban and rural areas (1:1 ratio) of Bangladesh by using a structured questionnaire. Majority (36.67%) of them aged between 31-40 years and most of them were male (58.15%). Urban population were more educated than rural population and 7.78% population in rural area were illiterate. Although prevalence of diabetes mellitus was same (17.04%) among populations from both areas, hypertension and overweight were present in higher proportion among the urban population than rural (43.70% vs. 25.93%, 54.07% vs. 2741% respectively). Family history of these two conditions were also found high among the study population. More than half of the population from both areas were found pre-hypertensive during their BP measurement. Majority of the total population were aware of the bad impacts of overweight, tobacco use and salt intake on health. But the level of using smokeless tobacco was quite high among both areas while salt intake was higher in rural population than urban population. Around half of total population have satisfactory level of physical activity. The better part of the respondents took fruits and vegetable 5 or more days per week but didn’t comply with the standard. A prominent portion of the study populations were advised by doctors to change their lifestyle but the result showed their lack of unwillingness especially in urban area. After analysis it can be mentioned that respondents had enough knowledge about the association of health problems with the modifiable risk factors of NCDs but they had the lack of proper practice. Intervention at all levels of society is essential for preventing the spread of NCD by increasing awareness of people about a perfect & healthy lifestyle and by motivating them to act accordingly.