Caste Disparities in Awareness of Hypertension and Uncontrolled Blood Pressure in India

Shoummo Sen Gupta, International Institute For Population Sciences
Souvik Banerjee, Department of Economics and Koita Centre for Digital Health, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay

Background: Hypertension, having no symptoms, often remains undiagnosed - causing unawareness. This study assess the caste gap in awareness about hypertension in India. It also focuses on the caste disparities in the uncontrolled blood pressure (UBP) in India. Further it identifies some specific driving factors of caste disparities in the awareness. Methods: The marginal effects of SC, ST and OBC caste categories on the awareness of hypertension and on UBP given medication, compared to the general caste, are obtained using trivariate probit models with endogeneity. The driving factors of disparities in awareness are identified using an extended Blinder Oaxaca decomposition. Results: Compared to the general, the SC, ST and OBC are less likely to be aware. The ST are more likely to have UBP given medication, compared to the general. An increase education among SC and ST, reducing the proportion of current smokers among SC and the alcohol consumers among SC and ST compared to general caste is likely to reduce the caste gap in the awareness of hypertension. Conclusion: Awareness among ST is the least. They are more likely to have UBP given medication. Education, smoking and alcohol use are some driving factors of the caste disparities in awareness.

Keywords: Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination, Health and Morbidity

See paper.