Table 2 Association between the sociodemographic characteristics and diagnosed hypertension among respondents

Overall

38.6% (32.41, 45.17)

61.4% (54.83, 67.59)

 Male

42.0% (31.77, 52.96)

58.0% (47.04, 68.23)

0.400

 Female

35.5% (26.83, 45.21)

64.5% (54.79, 73.17)

 <35

65.3% (27.59, 90.32)

34.7% (9.68, 72.41)

0.671

 35–44

48.1% (26.63, 70.33)

51.9% (29.67, 73.37)

 45–54

33.8% (20.21, 50.73)

66.2% (49.27, 79.79)

 55–64

38.6% (27.62, 50.80)

61.4% (49.20, 72.38)

 > 64

37.7% (26.57, 50.24)

62.3% (49.76, 73.43)

 Malay

39.1% (31.45, 47.27)

60.9% (52.73, 68.55)

0.593

 Chinese

48.1% (25.36, 71.66)

51.9% (28.34, 74.64)

 Indians

30.0% (10.78, 60.37)

70.0% (39.63, 89.22)

 Other/Bumiputera

32.0% (24.26, 40.89)

68.0% (59.11, 75.74)

 Never married

70.0% (28.27, 93.22)

30.0% (6.78, 71.73)

0.213

 Married

39.5% (32.39, 47.00)

60.5% (53.00, 67.61)

 Separated/widower

31.2% (19.54, 45.84)

68.8% (54.16, 80.46)

 None

48.1% (28.41, 68.46)

51.9% (31.54, 71.59)

0.305

 Primary

33.6% (24.04, 44.62)

66.5% (55.38, 75.96)

 Secondary

35.9% (26.04, 47.06)

64.1% (52.94, 73.96)

 Higher

50.6% (32.89, 68.10)

49.4% (31.90, 67.11)

 Public sector

23.8% (8.20, 52.23)

76.2% (47.77, 91.80)

0.813

 Private sector

39.2% (22.91, 58.32)

60.8% (41.68, 77.09)

 Self-employed

40.0% (25.62, 56.42)

60.0% (43.58, 74.38)

 Housewife

38.5% (27.08, 51.41)

61.5% (48.59, 72.92)

 Unemployed

40.0% (23.79, 58,78)

60.0% (41.22, 76.21)

 Student/others

46.4% (23.66, 70.79)

53.6% (29.21, 76.34)

 <1000

30.7% (21.04, 42.37)

69.3% (57.63, 78.96)

0.062

 1000–1999

36.0% (23.97, 50.15)

64.0% (49.85, 76.03)

 2000–2999

55.8% (36.46, 73.53)

44.2% (26.47, 63.54)

 3000–3999

50.9% (31.67, 69.88)

49.1% (30.12, 68.33)

 > 3999

30.9% (19.76, 44.72)

29.9% (23.01, 37.73)

 Do you think that a high salt diet could cause a serious health problem

  No/do not know

17.0% (7.02, 35.81)

83.0% (64.19, 92.99)

0.012

  Yes

41.2% (34.60, 48.04)

58.8% (51.96, 65.40)

 What sort of problem (hypertension)

  No

38.0% (32.26, 44.06)

62.0% (55.94, 67.74)

0.781

  Yes

40.3% (25.62, 56.96)

59.7% (43.04, 74.38)

 How important to you is lowering the salt/sodium in your diet?

  Not important

39.1% (31.36, 47.50)

60.9% (52.50, 68.64)

0.958

  Very important

38.8% (28.94, 49.61)

61.2% (50.39, 71.06)

 Do you do anything on a regular basis to control your salt or sodium intake?

  No/do not know

29.9% (20.81, 40.89)

70.1% (59.11, 79.19)

0.025

  Yes

46.7% (37.97, 55.67)

53.3% (44.33, 62.03)