Prevalence of Hypertension in Older and Middle-aged Adults in China: Estimates from Two National Longitudinal Surveys

Abstract

Hypertension is a leading chronic risk for population health in China, especially for older and middle-aged adults. However, a representative estimate of hypertension prevalence lacks for general older populations. With datasets from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS) and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), two nationally representative longitudinal surveys, this report aims to provide some estimates of hypertension prevalence in older and middle-aged adults overall and by social and demographic variables. There had been a marked increase in hypertension prevalence from 41% to 52% among older adults over the past two decades. Older adults, who were females, with urban residence, high income, from eastern China, and engaged in non-agricultural work, were more likely to be hypertensive. About 30% of middle-aged people in China were suffering from hypertension. These findings are significant in identifying potentially vulnerable populations with hypertension, which may have implications for clinical intervention.