A Comparison of the Prevalence Rates of Hypertension between People with Disabilities Due To Brain Injury and Non-Disabled People in 2016 and 2017

Abstract

This study sought to compare the prevalence rates of hypertension and its related factors between people with disabilities due to braininjury and non-disabled people in 2016 and 2017.Data from 2016 and 2017 were obtainedfrom the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea. Health check-up data on blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference, and blood glucose were collected; then, the prevalence rates of high blood pressure, obesity, and abnormal blood glucose were calculated. These data were compared between people with disabilities due to braininjury and non-disabledpeople using Chi-square tests.A total of 42,443 people with disabilities due tobraininjury participated in the national health checkup program, while 13,256,766 non-disabled people were included in this study. The hypertension prevalence rate in 2016 among people with disabilities due to braininjury was 23.8%, while that among non-disabled people was 12.4%. For 2017, the hypertension prevalence rate was 24.3% among people with disabilities due to braininjury, while that of non-disabled people was 12.6%. Based on waist circumference, 35.3% of people with disabilitiesdue to braininjury were obese or overweight in 2016,compared with 22.7% of non-disabled people;based also on this factor, it was shown that 36.4% of people withdisabilities due to braininjury and 23.4% of non-disabled people exceeded the obesity standard in 2017. Hypertension prevalence rates(p<.001), obesity rates, (p<.001), and abnormal blood glucose levels (p<.001)were significantly higher among people withdisabilities due to brain injury than those of non-disabled people. People with disabilities due to braininjury were found to have a high risk of chronic disease. Additionally, it isnecessary to develop strategies for managing hypertension.