Prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors in South Khorasan province in 2016 and 2021

Background and Aims: Nowadays, considering lifestyle changes and epidemiological transitions, non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and related risk factors have become one of the most important health priorities. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of hypertension and its related risk factors in South Khorasan province in 2016 and 2021. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study which was a part of the national Stepwise approach to surveillance (STEPS) plan of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, adults >18 years old living in South Khorasan province were selected by stratified multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the National Survey questionnaire on risk factors for non-communicable diseases (ecological information, behavioral, physical, and biological assessments) by the questioning team under the supervision of the authors of the Health Department of the Birjand University of Medical Sciences and were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (Chi-square test) in SPSS software (version 16). Results: The prevalence of hypertension in 2016 was 25.4%, and in 2021 it increased to 36.4%. Although the percentage increased in patients' awareness, the percentage of coverage of effective treatment has decreased from 39.8% to 27.4%. The prevalence of behavioral risk factors has decreased over a 5-year period, and the prevalence of physical risk factors (except overweight) has increased. The percentage of using salt has decreased; however, it is still higher than the national average, and the proper consumption of fruits and vegetables is lower than the national average. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension in South Khorasan province is increasing, resulting from a gradual increase in physical risk factors and a lack of a healthy diet. Therefore, considering the common risk factors, it seems necessary to adopt preventive policies and interventions and follow the required treatments.