Unraveling the Environmental, Meteorological, and Lifestyle Determinants of Hypertension Mortality in Türkiye

Year 2024, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 103 - 114, 29.06.2024

Mehmet Koçak , Özgenç Aktaş-koçak

https://doi.org/10.52675/jhesp.1491484

Abstract

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and a significant cause of mortality worldwide. This study investigates the association of environmental, meteorological, and lifestyle factors with hypertension mortality in Türkiye from 2010 to 2019. This study analyzed province-level hypertension mortality data for 81 provinces in Türkiye from 2010 to 2019. Predictors included air quality indicators (particulate matter 10, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone), meteorological variables (air pressure, humidity, temperature, wind speed), and lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure to second-hand smoke). An ordinal logistic regression approach was employed to model the likelihood of hypertension mortality, with adjustments for multiple testing using the Benjamini-Hochberg False Discovery Rate technique. In this study, it was found that significant associations are between hypertension mortality and several predictors. Air pressure, in terms of coefficient of variation and median levels, was significantly associated with hypertension mortality. Temperature and humidity showed strong associations, with median levels and variability impacting mortality rates. Lifestyle factors, notably smoking and alcohol consumption, were also significantly associated with increased hypertension mortality. Surprisingly, exposure to smoke at home showed a slight protective effect. The study highlights the complex interplay of environmental, meteorological, and lifestyle factors in terms of influencing hypertension mortality in Türkiye. These findings emphasize the need for multifaceted public health strategies that consider these diverse influences to manage and prevent hypertension-related mortality effectively.

Keywords

Environmental Factors, Hypertension, Lifestyle Factors, Meteorological Factors, Mortality, Turkey

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