A prevalence study on hypertension among practising advocates in Madurai

ABSTRACT

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.