OBJECTIVETo explore the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates of hypertension among Tibetan monks in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province, and to analyze risk factors of hypertension in this population.

METHODSA total of 984 (aged 18 and over) Tibetan monks in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province were included with cluster sampling method from March to June, 2014. General information was obtained by questionnaire and blood pressure was measured. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the risk factors of blood pressure.

RESULTSPrevalence of hypertension in this population was 19.3% (190/984), and standardized prevalence rate was 21.7%. The prevalence of hypertension were 16.3% (82/502), 21.0% (60/286) and 24.5% (48/196), and standardized prevalence rate was 17.8%, 22.1% and 26.6% among Tibetan monks aged 18-39, 40-59 and ≥60 years, respectively. Rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Tibetan monks were 9.5% (18/984), 4.2% (8/984)and 1.6% (3/984), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, body mass index and family history of hypertension were independent risk factors of hypertension in this population (P<0.01 or 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPrevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates of hypertension among Tibetan monks in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province are relatively low. Age, body mass index and family history of hypertension are risk factors of hypertension in this population.

Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Monks ; Prevalence ; Reference Standards ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires