Control Rates and Health-Seeking Behaviour Among People With Diabetes and Hypertension, Tamil Nadu, India- a Community Baseline Survey

@article{ganeshkumar2026control,
  title = {{Control Rates and Health-Seeking Behaviour Among People With Diabetes and Hypertension, Tamil Nadu, India- a Community Baseline Survey}},
  author = {Parasuraman Ganeshkumar and Ramya Nagarajan and Lavanya Ayyasamy and Murali Krishnan Nambirajan and Jayalakshmi Masilamani and Soundarraja Sakthivel and Vimal Kumar and Sasidharan Palani and Dilip Kumar Rajendran and Archana Ramalingam and Venkatesan Paramasivam and Vinoth Rajendran and Madhanraj Ayyanar and Vivekanandhan Thandapani and Vidhya Viswanathan and Krishnaraj K and Selvavinayagam TS},
  journal = {Journal of Primary Care \& Community Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1177/21501319261479631},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319261479631},
  note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Control Rates and Health-Seeking Behaviour Among People With Diabetes and Hypertension, Tamil Nadu, India- a Community Baseline Survey
AU  - Parasuraman Ganeshkumar
AU  - Ramya Nagarajan
AU  - Lavanya Ayyasamy
AU  - Murali Krishnan Nambirajan
AU  - Jayalakshmi Masilamani
AU  - Soundarraja Sakthivel
AU  - Vimal Kumar
AU  - Sasidharan Palani
AU  - Dilip Kumar Rajendran
AU  - Archana Ramalingam
AU  - Venkatesan Paramasivam
AU  - Vinoth Rajendran
AU  - Madhanraj Ayyanar
AU  - Vivekanandhan Thandapani
AU  - Vidhya Viswanathan
AU  - Krishnaraj K
AU  - Selvavinayagam TS
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/16
JO  - Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
DO  - 10.1177/21501319261479631
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319261479631
AB  - Introduction: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly hypertension and diabetes, pose significant health challenges in India, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Tamil Nadu, these diseases have led to high mortality rates, with alarmingly low control rates despite existing healthcare initiatives. This study aim to evaluate community control rates of hypertension and diabetes in the Villupuram and Cuddalore districts, focusing on medication adherence and metabolic control.  Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2023 involving 1,572 participants aged 18-69 years who had been receiving treatment for hypertension and diabetes for over six months. Using the MTM line list, we employed a cluster sampling design, selecting one block from each district. Blood pressure and HbA1c levels were measured to determine control rates, and a structured questionnaire collected sociodemographic data and medication adherence information. Data analysis was performed using Stata version 16, focusing on descriptive statistics.  Results: Out of 1,572 participants, 757 had hypertension and 738 had diabetes, yielding an overall response rate of 95%. Medication adherence was reported at 75.6% for individuals with hypertension and 76.2% for those with diabetes. Control rates were notably low, with only 49.1% of hypertensive participants achieving optimal blood pressure control and 25.7% of diabetics maintaining ideal glycaemic levels. Additionally, over 70% of participants were classified as overweight or obese.  Conclusion: Despite reasonable medication adherence, the control rates for hypertension and diabetes in Tamil Nadu are inadequate. The high prevalence of obesity highlights the need for community-based interventions, such as patient support groups and lifestyle modification programs, to enhance treatment adherence and improve health outcomes. A follow-up survey is planned to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives.
SN  - 2150-1319
SN  - 2150-1327
ER  -