A study on associated risks of smoking, alcohol and smokeless tobacco on hypertension among advocates

Background: Advocates, being stressed out and depressed in the law profession due to unstable work pattern, work overload and lack in coping up skills. They thrive a lot to survive in the profession. In such circumstances, lawyers may lean on alcohol or tobacco. In view of above issues, one of the main objectives of the study is to evaluate the association between use of alcohol, tobacco, smoking and hypertension among practising advocates.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 300 practising advocates at Madurai district court for a period of 1 year by simple random sampling method. Data was collected using structured interview schedule and analysed using SPSS.Results: Around 263 (87.66%) study participants were non-smokers and 37 (12.33%) were tobacco smokers. Among the tobacco smokers, a majority of 24 (64.86%) were found to be hypertensives (p=0.002). In the current study among the alcohol consumers, a majority of 26 (55.32%) were hypertensives and among the non-consumers of alcohol, only 38.34% were hypertensives (p=0.044).Conclusions: Advocates being professionals are well educated, informative and aware of complications. Adoption of healthy life style practices, the prevalence of hypertension may be reduced among the advocate community. Life style modifications such as cessation of smoking, alcohol and tobacco should be adopted. Promotive activities like arrangement of health camps in the court, health education, counselling on self-care, stress bursting leisure time activities would reduce the dependency on tobacco and alcohol.

A prevalence study on hypertension among practising advocates in Madurai

Background: In recent years, the practice of law is demanding and exceedingly stressful occupation. Main factors concerned are, being overloaded with work, unsupported, lack of appreciation, long hours, unattainable targets. Even the most balanced and well-adjusted advocates at some point eventually succumbs to the pressures of working in the legal field. It causes hypertension and a great impact on ones’well being. Hence the main objective of the study is to find out the prevalence of hypertension among practising advocates, thereby effective measures can be taken to prevent and control hypertension and its complications.Methods: : A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 300 practising advocates at Madurai district court for a period of 1 year by simple random sampling method.Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension among the practising advocates was found to be 41% (123). Among the 123 hypertensives, 56 (18.7%) were known hypertensives and 67 (22.3%) were newly detected hypertensives.Conclusions: The cause for hypertension among the advocates may be due to hectic work pressure. Advocates being professionals are well educated and informative. Regular adoption of basic life style modification practices, short vacations, arrangement of health camps in court premises with guidance of bar council association, recruitment of health counsellor in Bar Council Association for health educating and counselling the advocates, regular monitoring of health status by self-care management can control and prevent hypentension.