Association between socioeconomic status and prevalence of non-communicable diseases risk factors and comorbidities in Bangladesh: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to examine the prevalence and distribution in the comorbidity of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among the adult population in Bangladesh by measures of socioeconomic status (SES).


DESIGN
This was a cross-sectional study.


SETTING
This study used Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 data.


PARTICIPANTS
Total 8763 individuals aged ≥35 years were included.


PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES
The primary outcome measures were diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN) and overweight/obesity. The study further assesses factors (in particular SES) associated with these comorbidities (DM, HTN and overweight/obesity).


RESULTS
Of 8763 adults, 12% had DM, 27% HTN and 22% were overweight/obese (body mass index ≥23 kg/m2). Just over 1% of the sample had all three conditions, 3% had both DM and HTN, 3% DM and overweight/obesity and 7% HTN and overweight/obesity. DM, HTN and overweight/obesity were more prevalent those who had higher education, were non-manual workers, were in the richer to richest SES and lived in urban settings. Individuals in higher SES groups were also more likely to suffer from comorbidities. In the multivariable analysis, it was found that individual belonging to the richest wealth quintile had the highest odds of having HTN (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.49, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.72), DM (AOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.14) and overweight/obesity (AOR 4.3, 95% CI 3.32 to 5.57).


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to more affluent countries, individuals with NCDs risk factors and comorbidities are more common in higher SES individuals. Public health approaches must consider this social patterning in tackling NCDs in the country.
['Biswas|Tuhin|T|', 'Townsend|Nick|N|', 'Islam|Md Saimul|MS|', 'Islam|Md Rajibul|MR|', 'Das Gupta|Rajat|R|0000-0002-7680-676X', 'Das|Sumon Kumar|SK|', 'Mamun|Abdullah Al|AA|']
D000328:Adult D017677:Age Distribution D000368:Aged D001459:Bangladesh D015897:Comorbidity D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D000073296:Noncommunicable Diseases D015995:Prevalence D012111:Residence Characteristics D012307:Risk Factors D012423:Rural Health D017678:Sex Distribution D012923:Social Class D014504:Urban Health
socioeconomic status non-communicable disease Bangladesh diabetes hypertension overweight