Background: Socioeconomic disparity changed healthcare seeking and management cascade of hypertension due to inequity in hypertension care cascade pathway.
Objectives: The inequities in burden and treatment-seeking behavior of hypertension among reproductive age group women were studied from National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) data.
Materials and methods: We analyzed the data from NFHS-4 of women of reproductive age group between 15 and 49 years among the selected households contributing to 699,686 women. Socioeconomic inequities were assessed by expenditure quintile. Inequities in burden and treatment-seeking behavior were reported using the concentration curve and concentration index.
Results: The prevalence of hypertension in India was 15% (95% confidence interval: 14.9%-15.4%). One-third (32%) of the hypertensive population received treatment and only 28% of the women had controlled blood pressure. Wealth and education-based inequalities were more in high wealth index. The inequity in screening and awareness was in the northern and northeastern regions.
Conclusion: There was inequity in the overall hypertension care cascade pathway with more inequity in the northern and northeastern region.
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