Prevalence of Diabetes and Hypertension among Hajj Pilgrims: A Systematic Review.

Saber Yezli,Bander Balkhi,Yara Yassin,Yasir Almuzaini,Abdulaziz Mushi,Anas Khan

doi:10.3390/ijerph18031155

Abstract

The Hajj mass gathering is attended by over two million Muslims each year, many of whom are elderly and have underlying health conditions. Data on the number of pilgrims with health conditions would assist public health planning and improve health services delivery at the event. We carried out a systematic review of literature based on structured search in the MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS and CINAHL databases, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, to estimate the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among Hajj pilgrims. Twenty-six studies conducted between 1993 and 2018 with a total of 285,467 participants were included in the review. The weighted pooled prevalence rates of hypertension and diabetes among Hajj pilgrims in all included studies were 12.2% (95% CI: 12.0–12.3) and 5.0% (95% CI: 4.9–5.1), respectively. The reported prevalence of other underlying health conditions such as chronic respiratory, kidney or liver disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and immune deficiency were generally low. Potentially a large number of pilgrims each Hajj have diabetes and/or hypertension and other underlying health conditions. Hajj could be a great opportunity to reduce the burden of these diseases within the over 180 countries participating in the event by identifying undiagnosed cases and optimizing patients’ knowledge and management of their conditions. Prospero registration number: CRD42020171082.

Highlights

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant global public health issue, being responsible for 41 million deaths each year (>73% of all deaths globally) and 53% of the1.65 billion global years of life lost [1]
Raised blood pressure and increased blood glucose are metabolic risk factors that can lead to NCDs
We systematically reviewed the literature on the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, two of the most commonly reported comorbidities among Hajj pilgrims

Summary

Introduction

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant global public health issue, being responsible for 41 million deaths each year (>73% of all deaths globally) and 53% of the1.65 billion global years of life lost [1]. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant global public health issue, being responsible for 41 million deaths each year (>73% of all deaths globally) and 53% of the. Nonmodifiable risk factors for hypertension include a family history of hypertension, age > 65 years and coexisting diseases such as diabetes [4]. In terms of attributable deaths, hypertension is the leading metabolic risk factor globally, to which 19% of global deaths are attributed [5]. While it is a major health issue, fewer than 20% of people with hypertension have it under control [4]. Diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputation and has emerged as a leading cause of disability globally [2].

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