18 Some risk factors.pmd

1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, UAE University, United Arab Emirates. 2Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation and School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom. 3Primary Health Care Clinic, Oud Al Thoba, Ministry of Health, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. 4Khalifa Hospital, Abu Dhabi Health Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 5Department of Biological Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom. Received: 22/06/03; accepted: 23/12/03 ABSTRACT A case–control study evaluated the relationship between hypertension and socioeconomic and lifestyle factors in Al-Ain city. The survey included 426 hypertensive adults aged 20–65 years attending urban and semi-urban clinics and a randomly selected sample of 436 normotensive controls. Hypertension among cases was higher for men, age 40–49 years, non-UAE nationals, urban living, currently married, having children, illiterate, administrative/professional job, living in traditional house and low income. There were significant differences between cases and controls with regard to obesity, raised cholesterol level, low physical activity and family history of heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that obesity, medium/high income, history of diabetes, low physical activity and having 3+ children were significantly associated with hypertension.