The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hypertension among Adults in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background. Hypertension is a growing public health problem in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Determining the prevalence of hypertension and identifying the associated factors is crucial. Objective. To assess the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors, among adult population of Arba Minch town, Gamo Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from December 1 to 30, 2017 among adults. Study participants were selected using a multistage systematic sampling method. Data were collected by face-to-face interview after getting written informed consent by using a structured questionnaire. Additionally, weight, height, and blood pressure of participants were measured following standard procedures. Data were entered into a computer using EPI INFO 7 and exported into SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to explore the association between hypertension and associated factors. Multivariable logistic regressions were fitted to control the effect of confounders. Results. A total of 784 study participants were included in this study. The overall prevalence of hypertension in Arba Minch Town was 35.2%, (95% CI: 32.4%, 38.4%). Nearly 90% of hypertensive patients were screened for the first time. Age ≥55 years [AOR = 7:74; 95% CI: 2.19, 27.23], income level which is greater than 2501 Ethiopian Birr [AOR = 9:5; 95% CI: 4.5, 20.20], working hour less than seven hours per day [AOR = 12:5; 95% CI: 4.3, 36.1], and chewing "khat" [AOR = 11:06: 95% CI: 4.3, 27.7] were the independently associated factors with hypertension. Conclusion. The prevalence of hypertension is found to be high. Increasing awareness on control use of "khat," increasing physical activity, and strengthening community-based periodic screening programs of high-risk populations are recommended.

Behavioral and Sociodemographic Determinants of Hypertension and Its Burden among Bank Employees in Metropolitan Cities of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

“…Moreover, the present study also claimed that participants who consumed fruits daily were less likely to have hypertension. is is similar to previous studies [11,12]. It is also further supported by interventional studies that claim that fruit consumption is effective in lowering BP through increasing the antioxidants that are responsible for the reduction of free radicals [34,35].…”

“…Moreover, nearly half of the participants were newly diagnosed with hypertension, and about three-fourths of the total participants did not know their BP status before the present study. is is a common phenomenon claimed by several previous studies [11,14,17,18,30]. e possible reason for this might be that hypertension is usually symptomless, so people may not seek health services.…”

“…In the last few years, the lifestyle of the Ethiopian population is changing due to urbanization and demographic transition [10]. As a result, risky health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, sugar intake, and fatty meal commotion) are being increased and predispose the population to various noncommunicable diseases including hypertension [3,11,12].…”

“…Studies have also revealed various factors associated with hypertension positively and negatively. ese include older age [15,19], male sex [14,15,20], overweight/obesity [16,19], physical activity [13,19], smoking and alcohol use [14], and dietary patterns [11,12].…”

Prevalence of and risk factors for hypertension in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…In this subcategorical analysis, 20 studies were included for the assessment of age as a risk factor for hypertension. 20,22,[24][25][26][27][28][30][31][32][33]37,38,[42][43][44][49][50][51][52] P Association of sex with hypertension F I G U R E Forest plot of odds ratio for the association of male sex with hypertension.…”