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War veterans of Nepal and their blood pressure status: a population-based comparative study

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 21, pages 900–903 (2007)Cite this article

Community-based studies on cardiovascular diseases including hypertension in a developing country like Nepal have been limited. A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out with the aim to compare the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors in the war veterans (called lahures) with the men of other occupational groups of Dharan town in Eastern Nepal. Lahures form a historically legendary group of professional men in Nepal. The term lahure is largely used to describe the hilly natives who have served formerly in the British or Indian army.1 Also called Gurkhas, they have traditionally come from tribes that have markedly Mongolian features. Lahure families grew increasingly westernized as time passed, particularly after the British and their institutions withdrew from India and lahures joined the order of battle of the British Army. Most of them who returned to Nepal went back to the village of their birth and worked or retired. Their pensions made them men of some substance and their army service commanded respect.

One thousand adult males aged 35 years or more were recruited for the study. They were categorized into five groups: lahures, who were previously serving in the British or Indian army; agriculture, those who were working in farms or in agro-related works; technical, those who did business, sales or clerical works; labour, included skilled and unskilled labourers such as a mason or a carpenter; and a miscellaneous group, comprised of students, politicians, priests, writers, artists and so on. Sampling of the subjects was made by random sampling technique in which the number of households per ward selected was proportionate to the population of the ward. The questionnaires were pre-tested and probed in a group of people different from the area of study (Rangeli). The principal investigator visited the selected households between June 2004 and February 2005. The subjects were briefed about the purpose of the study. After a verbal consent, the following tools were applied to collect information.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal

    A Vaidya

  2. Department of Community Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal

    P K Pokharel, S Nagesh & S Kumar

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal

    P Karki

  4. Department of Biochemistry, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal

    S Majhi

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  1. A Vaidya
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  2. P K Pokharel
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  3. S Nagesh
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  4. P Karki
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  5. S Kumar
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  6. S Majhi
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Correspondence to A Vaidya.

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Vaidya, A., Pokharel, P., Nagesh, S. et al. War veterans of Nepal and their blood pressure status: a population-based comparative study. J Hum Hypertens 21, 900–903 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002235

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