PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF HYPERTENSION AMONG URBAN COMMUNITIES IN KWARA STATE

Abstract

Hypertension is a growing public health concern with a rising prevalence and associated clinical outcomes particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. National data on the burden of hypertension in Nigeria is insufficient but available data shows an increasing trend. Determination of the current prevalence of hypertension and its predictors is essential for planning a preventive and therapeutic strategies that would enhance reduction in its overall burden in the general population. This is a cross-sectional study of adults in eight urban communities in Kwara state between 2006 and 2016. The data was collected using a semi-structured validated interviewer-administered questionnaire. The blood pressure and the anthropometric parameters (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and hip circumference, and waist-hip ratio), blood sugar and kidney lengths were measured by standard methods. Hypertension is defined as a blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90mmHg, taken after 10minutes rest and an average of two measurements recorded 5minutes apart. The data was analyzed by SPSS version 20. The prevalence of hypertension was expressed in percentages. Significant differences between the means were determined by student t-test. The association between hypertension and measured variables were evaluated by spearman correlation, while the predictors were determined by binary logistic regression. The significant level was taken as p value< 0.05. One thousand five-hundred and six (1506) adults were analyzed out of I 612 participants that participated in the study. The mean of the age was 44 ± 14years, and there was female preponderance (55%). The prevalence of hypenension was 30%, (30.2%) in males and (29.8% in females). Hypertension correlates significantly with age (r = 0.416, P = 0.00 I), BMI (r = 0.301, P = 0.00 I), hip circumference (r = 0.219, P = 0.001), waist-hip ratio (r = 0.225, P = 0.005), and waist circumference (r = 0.063, P = 0.045). The predictors of hypertension were: waist circumference (OR = 1.169, Cl = 1.021 - 1.340, P = 0.024), body mass index, (OR = 1.113, CI = I .059 - 1.170, P = 0.001), and age (OR= 1.052, Cl = 1.034 - 1.070, P = 0.001). In conclusion, the prevalence of hypertension is high in urban population of Kwara State, with similar proportions in men and women but the prevalence increases with age. high body mass index and waist circumference.