Variations in Blood Pressures Amongst Day School Children and Boarding School Children in Western Maharashtra

Abstract

Introduction: School children majorly face stress due to the pressure and expectations from their parents besides academics, athletics, etc. It is known that depression, stress increases blood pressure. Such wide variations in blood pressure at such a young age can increase the incidence of cerebrovascular accidents, ischemic heart diseases, renal failure and preterm death in the adulthood of such children. This survey will guide the parents and teachers to the various problems student face and how can they help the student cope with it. Method: The blood pressure of each student was taken three times to reduce them to minimise the possibility of errors and the blood pressures of all the students were compared according to their age (13-16 years) and the schooling type (boarders and day scholars). Results:  On comparing the prehypertensive stage, the numbers of pre-hypertensives are found to be greater in the age group of 15 years in both day scholars and boarders i.e. 14% and 8% respectively. The on comparing the schooling type the day scholars have a greater number of prehypertensive i.e. 25% than boarders which is 17%. Though pre-hypertensives are higher in the age group of 15 years, but the numbers of hypertensives are more in 14 years of age which is 7% (6% in hypertension stage I and 1% in hypertension stage II) in day scholars and 4% (3% in hypertension stage I and 1% in hypertension stage II) in boarders. In schooling type, a similar trend as that of prehypertension is seen i.e. in day scholars 14% students are in hypertension stage I and 3% students are in hypertension stage II making a total of 17% of hypertensive in day scholars. Similarly, in boarders there are 6% in hypertension stage I and 1% in hypertension stage II making 7% hypertensive in boarders, thereby showing a higher percentage of hypertensive in day scholars. Conclusion: The study revealed Percentage of students in hypertension stage I and hypertension stage II were found more in day scholars (14% HT STAGE I and 3% HT STAGE II) than boarders (6%HT STAGE I and 1% HT STAGE II) respectively. Thus, it can be very well concluded that 17% of day school children and 7% boarders were found to be in hypertensive.

Keywords: Variations in blood pressures, Day school; Boarding school Children; Western Maharashtra.