Prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among secondary school students in Duhok City

Abstract

Hypertension can develop in early childhood and go unnoticed unless it is screened for specifically during this developmental stage. Detecting potential hypertension risk in children is critical to avoiding the serious, long-term complications associated with the condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hypertension among schoolchildren aged 13 to 18, as well as the risk factors associated with it. A cross-sectional study included 565 students aged 13 to 18 from the Duhok region. The analysis used Chi square testing and logistic regression with JMP Pro 14.3.0 software. Of the 565 students from 32 schools chosen, 242 (42.80%) were male and 323 (57.2%) were female. Notably, 5.84% (n=33) were hypertensive. A significant correlation was found between hypertension prevalence and body mass index, as well as gender. There was no significant relationship found with other variables. Logistic regression revealed that high blood pressure was significantly associated with excess weight, obesity, and age. We concluded that there was an increase in the incidence of hypertension among high school students. Lifestyle changes appeared to play a role in hypertension development among this population. Routine school surveys are recommended to detect potential hypertension cases in children and adolescents, allowing for timely preventative interventions.