Objective  To examine the relationship between self-reported hypertension and monthly family income per capita among urban residents in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and to provide evidences for developing population-specific hypertension prevention strategies.

  Methods  Using multi-stage random cluster sampling, we conducted a questionnaire survey and physical examination among 7 824 residents aged 35 years and above and living in four of six urban districts of Nanjing city for at least 5 years from August to September, 2011.

  Results  Among all the participants, 2 163 hypertensives were identified and the self-reported hypertension prevalence rate was 27.6%. Of the participants, 2 954 (37.8%), 2 380 (30.4%), and 2 490 people (31.8%) reported low (< 1 111.1 RMB yuan), middle (1 111.1 – 1 666.6 yuan), high (≥1 666.7 yuan) monthly family income per capita, respectively. The self-reported hypertension prevalence rate was 23.4%, 27.7%, and 32.7% among the participants with low, middle, and high monthly family income per capita. The results of univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that compared to those with low monthly family income, the participants with middle and high monthly family income had an increased risk of hypertension, with the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.26 (1.11 – 1.42) and 1.59 (1.41 – 1.79); however, the correlation between the self-reported hypertension prevalence rate and monthly family income per capita was not significant after adjusting for confounding factors including gender, age, years of education, type of occupation, smoking, alcohol drinking, medical insurance, physical activity, frequency of red meat intake, and body mass index.

  Conclusion  Monthly family income per capita is not statistically related to self-reported hypertension prevalence rate among urban residents in Nanjing city.