Abstract
BackgroundDeveloping countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face a double burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and communicable diseases. As high blood pressure (BP) is a common global cardiovascular (CV) disorder associated with high morbidity and mortality, the relationship between gradients of BP and other CV risk factors was assessed in Abia State, Nigeria.MethodsUsing the WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance of chronic disease risk factors, we conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey in Abia state, Nigeria from August 2011 to March 2012. Data collected at various steps included: demographic and behavioral risk factors (Step 1); BP and anthropometric measurements (Step 2), and fasting blood cholesterol and glucose (Step 3).ResultsOf the 2983 subjects with complete data for analysis, 52.1% were females and 53.2% were rural dwellers. Overall, the distribution of selected CV disease risk factors was diabetes (3.6%), hypertension (31.4%), cigarette smoking (13.3%), use of smokeless tobacco (4.8%), physical inactivity (64.2%) and being overweight or obese (33.7%). Presence of hypertension, excessive intake of alcohol, smoking (cigarette and smokeless tobacco) and physical inactivity occurred more frequently in males than in females (p<0.05); while low income, lack of any formal education and use of smokeless tobacco were seen more frequently in rural dwellers than in those living in urban areas (p<0.05). The frequency of selected CV risk factors increased as BP was graded from optimal, normal to hypertension; and high BP correlated with age, gender, smokeless tobacco, overweight or obesity, annual income and level of education.ConclusionGiven the high prevalence of hypertension in this part of Nigeria, there is an urgent need to focus on the reduction of preventable CV risk factors we have observed to be associated with hypertension, in order to effectively reduce the burden of NCDs in Africa.
Highlights
Developing countries of the world, especially in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) face a double burden of communicable diseases (e.g. HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis) and chronic non-communicable diseases [NCDs] [1]
It is estimated that NCDs may account for up to 60–64% of all deaths in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC); and that by the year 2015 over 70% of all deaths worldwide will be attributable to a non-communicable cause [1,4,5,6]
24 Enumeration Areas (EAs) of the six local government area (LGA) chosen for this study
Summary
Developing countries of the world, especially in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) face a double burden of communicable diseases (e.g. HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis) and chronic non-communicable diseases [NCDs] (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, cancer and chronic renal failure) [1]. Often involving lifestyle changes (high salt and fat diet, cigarette smoking, increased alcohol intake and lack of exercise) may partly explain the epidemiological transition in SSA away from infectious diseases, towards NCDs as leading causes of death [2,3]. In South Africa, one study has reported an increasing burden of NCDs in rural communities as well as a disproportionate burden of NCDs in poor people who live in urban settings [7]. Developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face a double burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and communicable diseases. As high blood pressure (BP) is a common global cardiovascular (CV) disorder associated with high morbidity and mortality, the relationship between gradients of BP and other CV risk factors was assessed in Abia State, Nigeria
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