Effect of parental socioeconomic status on cardiovascular parameters in school going children

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Aim: A cross sectional type of study was carried out to compare cardiovascular parameters among, 6-10 years old 750 school children of three different socioeconomic statuses during January 2014- January 2015. Children from three different schools one public primary school and two private schools having tuitions fees were selected randomly. They were categorized depending on per capita income of family in three different socioeconomic statuses, High socioeconomic status, Middle socioeconomic status and Low socioeconomic status using modified prasad’s socioeconomic status classification. Method: Blood pressure was measured as per fourth report on diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure in children and adolescents by standard sphygmomanometer, and Heart rate was counted for 1 min .Analysis was done using ANOVA test with the help of graph pad software version5.0. Result: It was found that the differences among High middle and low socioeconomic statuses children in the mean systolic, mean diastolic pressures and mean heart rate was not statistically significant (NS) (p > 0.05).Conclusion: From results of present study we can conclude that in children socioeconomic status may not be the cause of hypertension, genetic factors and environmental factors might be the possible cause of hypertension in children.