CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has registered significant gains in combating hypertension over the past four years, with blood pressure (BP) control among patients more than doubling and a marked shift towards government healthcare, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
Drawing on two statewide WHO STEPS surveys conducted in 2019-20 and 2023-24 covering nearly 12,000 adults, the study found measurable improvements across every stage of the hypertension care cascade, from diagnosis and treatment to blood pressure control, underscoring the impact of sustained public health interventions in the State.
The age and sex-standardised prevalence of hypertension fell from 31.6% in 2019-20 to 26.8% in 2023-24. During the same period, awareness among people with hypertension increased from 30.1% to 36.8%, treatment coverage rose from 21.7% to 32.2%, while the proportion of patients with controlled blood pressure more than doubled from 7% to 14.4%.
Even after adjusting for age, gender, education, occupation and place of residence, the researchers found that people with hypertension in 2023-24 were 1.3 times more likely to know their condition, 1.5 times more likely to be on treatment and 2.1 times more likely to have their blood pressure under control than those surveyed in 2019-20. “Overall, hypertension care in TN improved, with increased use of public health facilities for treatment,” researchers said.
The study also documented a significant change in treatment-seeking behaviour. The proportion of patients regularly accessing government health facilities increased from 47.5% in 2019-20 to 62.4% in 2023-24. The increase was particularly pronounced in rural Tamil Nadu, where dependence on government facilities rose from 57.2% to 76.2%, while the corresponding figure in urban areas increased from 44.4% to 51.3%.
Researchers said that Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) scheme, introduced in 2021 to provide doorstep screening and medicine delivery for non-communicable diseases, may have contributed to the improvement by expanding access to care and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure. Around 37.7% of treated patients reported receiving services through the scheme, including 50% in rural areas and 27.9% in urban centres. The authors, however, cautioned that the study’s cross-sectional design establishes association and not direct causation.
The quality of treatment also showed notable improvement. Among patients receiving medication, BP control increased from 31.4% in 2019-20 to 43.8% in 2023-24. Among those treated in government health facilities, control improved from 31% to 44.5%, while patients using private healthcare recorded an increase from 32.3% to 42.5%. Government primary and community health centres posted the highest control rate at 53.6%.
Despite the encouraging gains, the study flagged persistent gaps. Adults below 45 years, men and people without co-morbidities such as diabetes or high cholesterol were significantly more likely to remain undiagnosed, untreated and have uncontrolled hypertension. Researchers recommended extending screening to workplaces and higher educational institutions to improve early detection among younger adults and working-age men, saying sustained quality improvement would be crucial to further reducing the burden of hypertension in Tamil Nadu.
BP control more than doubles in TN from 7% (2019-20) to 14.4% (2023-24)
Hypertension prevalence declines from 31.6% to 26.8%
Awareness of hypertension increases from 30.1% to 36.8%
Treatment coverage spikes from 21.7% to 32.2% over the four-year period
Takers for government healthcare increase from 47.5% to 62.4% overall, and from 57.2% to 76.2% in rural TN
Nearly 37.7% of treated patients received care through Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme
Adults below 45 years, men, and those without co-morbidities most likely to remain undiagnosed and untreated