Hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney disease among rural population in northern Bangladesh: findings from a one-dollar screening programme

Problem considered Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain highly prevalent in Bangladesh and often undiagnosed in rural areas. There is limited research on the prevalence of these conditions among the rural population in Bangladesh using large-scale screening programmes. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of these NCDs in rural northern Bangladesh through a low-cost population-based screening programme, and to determine the per-participant screening cost. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2489 adults attending a community-based screening programme in northern Bangladesh between January and October 2023. Hypertension, diabetes and CKD were identified by measuring blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer, fasting or random blood glucose using a glucometer and protein in urine using a dipstick test respectively. Descriptive analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of these conditions using standard guidelines. Results The programme cost approximately USD 1 dollar per person screened. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 20.3%, diabetes 8.6% and chronic kidney disease 3.7%. Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in rural northern Bangladesh is high and is similar to national trend, while substantially lower for CKD. Larger studies using a similar low-cost screening programme are needed to verify the low CKD prevalence, to identify the epidemiological trend and explore its possible reasons.