Sociodemographic Correlates of Four Indices of Blood Pressure and Hypertension Among Older Persons in Japan

摘要

BackgroundHigh blood pressure is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Japan has traditionally had higher levels of measured blood pressure than many Western countries and reducing levels of hypertension has been a major focus of Japanese health policy over recent decades. In the West, hypertension is strongly associated with sociodemographic and behavioral (smoking and BMI) factors; studies of the association between sociodemographic factors and biological indicators have not been fully explored in the elderly population of Japan using nationally representative survey data.