SUB Journal of Sustainable — TLC e CM ee iLS Volume 3, July 2018SUB J of Sustainable Environ and Dev, Volume 3, July 2018 STATUS OF BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG THE POPULATION IN SELECTED SALINE PRONE AREA OF BANGLADESH Mohammad Ali', M.H.Faruquee”", Nawzia Yasmin’, Mainul Alam Chaklader*, Nusrat Zaman Sobani’, Sk. Akhtar Ahmad® ABSTRACT About 6 million people are deprived of safe non-saline drinking which is a discussing issues in public health and it’s became more focus for saline water intrusion due to climate change. Long time drinking saline water plays a key role in human blood pressure. A cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the prevalence of blood pressure among the coastal population. About 296 samples were selected using multi-stage simple random sampling technique from four wards of four unions (Assasuni, Dargahpur, Bordal and Sreula) under Assasuni upazilla of Satkhira District. Respondents were 18 years and above age and staying in that area for at least past five years during data collection. It was observed that 28.4% respondent’s Systolic blood pressure was ranging from 120 to 139 mm Hg, 18.6% had 140+ mm Hg. By Diastolic pressure, 70% had ranging from 60 to 89 mm Hg and 20.3% had 90+ mm Hg. About 18% of respondent’s drinking water has higher than 1.00 PPT salinity, which is higher than Bangladesh limit. It was observed that three fourth of the respondents had habit of taking extra dietary salt also half of the respondents don’t have the habit of taking tobacco. ' Public Health Engineer (PHE) in the Global Humanitarian Team (GHT) of Oxfam GB. ? Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences. > Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh. * Department of Community Medicine, Bangladesh Medical College. * Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh. ‘Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences. * Corresponding Author's E-mail: mahmud.faruquee@gmail.comAli etal, Around 65% percent of the respondent’s drinking water source was pond, 20% from DHTW or piped water supply, 3% from SHTW and rest 9% had practice of use mixed source water in general time. It was observed that for cooking purposes 98% respondents use pond water. Different practice was found in rainy season more than half of the respondents use mixed rain water with the other sources of water. From the correlation result of drinking / cooking water salinity and blood pressure (Systolic and diastolic), it is found that both drinking and cooking salinity shows insignificant relation with blood pressure. Ensuring of safe and less saline (within standard) adequate water to all coastal population is strongly recommended in reducing health hazard risk. Keywords: Salinity, Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure INTRODUCTION Throughout geological history, consequently coastal low lands became flooded and occasionally inundation of water storages like ponds and artisan wells often saline if the area is hit by tidal surge or embankment failure. Climate change is taking its toll in the form of saline water intrusion into the mainland of Bangladesh, which is one of the lowest-altitude countries in the world! This coastal area represents an area of 47,211 km?, 32 percent of the country’s geographical area, within 35 million people, ic. 28 percent of the country’s total population live at 6.85. million houscholds. In terms of administrative consideration, 19 districts out of 64 are considered as coastal district’. In the Southern-West region of Bangladesh, about 6 million people are deprived of safe non-saline drinking water. Raised blood pressure is the major cause of the development of cardiovascular disease, and accounts for 60% of all strokes and 50% of all heart disease*. Blood pressure is the biggest cause of death in the world through the strokes and heart attacks it causes*. There is strong evidence that taking of saline water is associated with a clinically substantial high in blood pressure and causes 14 Status of Blood Pressure among the Population in Selected Saline Prone Area of Bangladesh cardiovascular disease*. In 2002 the WHO recognized health impacts of consumption of highly saline waters as a priority for - investigation under its public health initiatives. Epidemiological studies in Bangladesh on saline water intake in relation to prevalence of hypertension are scarce. This is an attempt to address the issue more in-depth analysis through this study. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the prevalence of blood pressure among the population of selected saline prone area of Bangladesh along coastal areas during November 2013 to April 2014. About 296 samples were selected using multi-stage simple random sampling technique from four wards of four unions (Assasuni, Dargahpur, Bordal and Sreula) under Assasuni upazilla of Satkhira District. Respondents were 18 years and above age and staying in that area for at least past five years during data collection. Data were collected using interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire. Sphygmomanometer, stethoscope were used for measuring blood pressure and digital salinity meter was used for measuring salinity of water. Socio-demographic information was collected by face to face interview and blood pressure and salinity were measured by following appropriate methods. All questionnaires were checked for its completeness and correctness. Coding and classification were also done. Data were then entered in SPSS data sheet and simple frequency, cross tabulation and in some cases correlation was done. All ethical issues related to research was addressed according to the guidelines of research ethical review of the State University of Bangladesh. Informed consent was taken before the interview. Respondents had rights to refuse and withdraw from the study, any time was accepted. Confidentiality of the respondents was maintained. Informed consent as well as questioner form was translated into local language.