The urban-rural disparity in the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among the elderly in China—a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypertension and to explore the disparities of its risk factors among urban and rural elderly. METHOD: Data of hypertensive patients were collected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015. Stratified sample households were selected from 450 villages or communities of 150 counties from 28 provinces. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to analyze the factors correlated with hypertension. RESULTS: Prevalence of HBP was 47.6% (95% CI 45.2%-50.1%) in total and it was close between urban and rural population (48.6% vs 47.2%). Factors associated with HBP were different between urban and rural areas. In urban areas, hypertension was significantly associated with literacy and diabetes in both genders, high BMI level and smoke quitters in males, and physical activity and dyslipidemia in females. In rural areas, hypertension was significantly associated with older age, higher BMI level in both males and females, and dyslipidemia in males. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence are about the same among urban and rural residents, but their risk factors vary from each other. Disparity in the risk factors between urban and rural population should be taken into consideration for further intervention.