Abstract
The burden of hypertension is reported to be on the rise in developing countries, such as South Africa, despite increased efforts to address it. Using a cross-sectional study design, we assessed and compared the prevalence of and risk factors associated with hypertension amongst adults aged ≥18 years in semi-urban and rural communities (1187 semi-urban and 1106 rural). Trained community health workers administered the INTERHEART Risk Score tool and performed blood pressure assessments using the MEDIC Pharmacists Choice Blood Pressure Monitor. Hypertension was defined to be a systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 mmHg and diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors and determine their relationship with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension amongst semi-urban and rural communities was 21% with no gender difference. In the semi-urban area, physical activity, family history, fruit intake, salty food, and eating meat were significantly associated with the odds of hypertension among women, whereas only the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), diabetic status, and salty food were the predictors for rural women. Factors such as fried food and low fruit intake were significantly associated with the odds of hypertension among men in the semi-urban area, whereas only the WHR was significant among men in the rural area. Hypertension was found to be prevalent among semi-urban and rural adults in Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Highlights
The world is facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs), and cancers, with disproportionately higher levels in the developing countries [1]
The prevalence of waist-to-hip ratios greater than or equal to 0.964 was significantly higher in participants residing in the rural areas (p < 0.001) than in participants residing in the semi-urban areas
The findings further showed that fried food was one of the predictors for hypertension in men residing in a semi-urban area
Summary
The world is facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs), and cancers, with disproportionately higher levels in the developing countries [1]. It has been estimated that by 2020, 80% of the disease burden will come from NCDs, which contribute 70% of the deaths in developing countries [2]. The rise in NCDs has been attributed to economic growth in developing countries and shifts in societal norms and behaviors, such as dietary habits and physical activity [2,3]. NCDs, mainly cardiovascular diseases, are a major public health problem that is associated with negative health outcomes [2,4]. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7463; doi:10.3390/ijerph17207463 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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