Background:Hypertension is emerging as an alarming public-health problem causes organ damage.Objectives:To identify prevalence of hypertension and predictor factors among rural population in four states in Sudan.Methods:A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in sixteen rural areas in Sudan during April 2012. A total of 3020 adult were interviewed using structured questionnaire and blood pressure was measured before and after the interview. Hypertension was taken as ≥ 140 mmHg and ≥ 90 mmHg for systole and diastole respectively.Analysis:Descriptive statistic was presented; Sex and mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were tested using ANOVA for individuals on antihypertensive medication. Predictor factors to hypertension were tested by logistic regression.Results:Prevalence of hypertension among rural population was 15.8%. Overall means of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 128.6±17.7 and 81.5±11.6 respectively while the means among hypertensive individuals was154.74 ±14.4 and 97.98±8.4 respectively Known hypertensive individuals were 20.1%; out of whom 71.7% were hypertensive and 22.4% have Target Organ Damage. Those on anti-hypertensive medications were 76.4% and normotensive were 55.1%. Individuals having both diabetes and hypertension were 3.3% and 80.2% were hypertensive. Log regression model showed age, smoking, diabetes and family hypertension were predictors of hypertension by 3.6%, 34.9%, 49.7% and 56.8% respectively (P-value <0.05).Conclusion:Prevalence of hypertension among rural Sudan was 15.8%. Family history was the strongest predictor of hypertension.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide, leading to over 10 million deaths each year. Sudan has the second highest prevalence of hypertension in North Africa. One in four people with a non-communicable disease has hypertension. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative, aimed at raising awareness of high BP to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programs worldwide. The MMM screening survey provided an opportunity to correlate between unique risk factors and BP levels among Sudanese population. Such an approach allows for directing efforts towards setting the appropriate preventive measures as opposed to disease treatment. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2017. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. The study was conducted at 100 sites distributed in four states: Khartoum, Gezira, Blue Nile, and Kassala. Overall, a total of 44 413 participants were enrolled in the survey. After imputation, 7332 out of 44 118 participants with an available mean of the second and third readings had hypertension (16.6%). A total of 6956 (15.9%) participants were found to have hypertension of the 43 742 who were not receiving treatment. Among participants who were on treatment, 155 out of 374 (41.3%) had uncontrolled BP. After adjusting for age and sex, systolic and diastolic BP’s were significantly higher in those receiving antihypertensive treatment, with a previous history of stroke and with elevated body mass index. Systolic BP was significantly higher in people with diabetes and with previous myocardial infarction. Smoking was associated with increased diastolic BP and decreased systolic BP. Alcohol intake as well as BP measurement on left vs. right arm had no association with BP reading. The MMM17 was the largest BP screening campaign ever held in the country. A considerable percentage of detected hypertensives were not on treatment with a significant proportion of uncontrolled hypertension among those on treatment. These results suggest that opportunistic screening can identify significant numbers with raised BP.

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To raise awareness of high blood pressure (BP) levels and associated risk factors among the Sudanese population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six Sudanese states during the period May–August 2018. The study area included public indoor and outdoor areas, institutes, and service facilities. A questionnaire for collecting the data was employed including demographic data, along with three consecutive BP measurements. Data were collected by trained volunteers. Hypertension (HTN) was defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg based on the mean of the second and third measurements, or in those on antihypertensive medication. The current study indicated a high prevalence of HTN (28.2%) among 40 779 participants and a low level of awareness (20.7%) amongst these participants. Of all, 18.2% of hypertensive participants were on medication and of these, 54.6% were controlled. Of all hypertensives, only 9.9% were controlled. Further action needs to be taken by all stakeholders for raising awareness and increasing screening provision of HTN, which are essential for the development of national health policies for control and management of HTN in Sudan.

Background: Health-care workers are having highest probability of being infected with HBV.Objective: To determine conditional probability of sero-prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers among health care workers in White Nile State, Sudan. Methods:A cross sectional study design with analytical approach was used. Three hundred eighty five health care workers were selected randomly. An interview was carried using a pre-tested questionnaire and five ml venous blood samples were consented. Blood samples were tested for Anti-HB core total, HBsAg and HBeAg. Conditional probabilities of being a carrier and highly infective were calculated regarding departments, occupation of HCWs, marital status and working duration in hospital.Results: Out of the total study population, 230 (59.7%) were positive for anti-HB core total. Out of 230 HCWs, 62 (27.1%) were positive for HBsAg. Out of 62 HCWs, 29 (46.8%) were positive for HBeAg. In overall, 16% of study population was carriers and 7.5% were highly infective. HCWs in surgical and Obstetrics & gynaecology had 0.50 conditional probability of being carriers and highly infective. Laboratory technicians had 0.64 conditional probability of being carriers and highly infective. HCWs with working duration in hospitals up to 5 years had 0.63 probability of being carriers and highly infective. Conclusion:Prevalence and conditional probabilities of HBV markers among health care worker in White Nile State were high. HCWs in Surgical and Obstetrics & gynaecology, Laboratory technicians and HCWs with working duration up to 5 years are carriers and highly infective. Periodical screening and vaccination of HCWs are recommended.