Abstract
The quickening pace of change and adoption of western lifestyles by people in developing countries has led to a sharp rise in the incidence of hypertension. Yet epidemiological studies using validated methods are rare especially in Central Africa. The prevalence of hypertension, according to the World Health Organization definition (systolic blood pressure [SBP] > or = 160, diastolic [DBP] > or = 95 mmHg), was estimated by a population-based survey in 1798 Cameroonian subjects aged 25-74 years. There were 746 individuals from a rural area (308 men, 438 women) and 1052 (461 men, 591 women) from an urban area. The response rate was 95% and 91% for the rural and urban populations respectively. The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in the urban than in the rural area. It was 16.4% (95% CI: 11.6-21.2) in urban men and 12.1% (95% CI: 7.9-16.2) in urban women, while it was 5.4% (95% CI: 2.9-8.0) in rural men and 5.9% (95% CI: 3.8-8.0) in women. Borderline hypertension (SBP 140-160, DBP 90-95 mmHg) was detected in 7.4% (95% CI: 4.4-10.4) and 6.6% (3.1-10.2) of urban, and 7.3% (95% CI: 4.7-9.9) and 2.9% (95% CI: 1.5-4.4) of rural men and women respectively. These results indicate that hypertension is still uncommon in rural Cameroon but occurs frequently in the urban community, reaching a proportion comparable with industrialized urban communities.
Highlights
MethodsThe prevalence of hypertension, according to the World Health Organization definition (systolic blood pressure [systolic blood pressures (SBP)] 3=160, diastolic [DBP] 3=95 mmHg), was estimated by a population-based survey in 1798 Cameroonian subjects aged 25-74 years
The quickening pace of change and adoption of western lifestyles by people in developing countries has led to a sharp rise in the incidence of hypertension
Borderline hypertension (SBP 140-160, DBP 90-95 mmHg) was detected in 7.4% and 6.6% (3.1-10.2) of urban, and 7.3% and 2.9% of rural men and women respectively
Summary
The prevalence of hypertension, according to the World Health Organization definition (systolic blood pressure [SBP] 3=160, diastolic [DBP] 3=95 mmHg), was estimated by a population-based survey in 1798 Cameroonian subjects aged 25-74 years. Cameroonian men and women of African origin aged 25-74 years were studied. The participants were either from an urban area, Cite Verte Housing District in Yaounde, or a rural area that consisted of three villages in Evodoula, Cameroon. The Ciuf Verte Housing District is located in the City of Yaounde, the capital of the Republic of Cameroon. A preliminary house census of the inhabitants of the housing estate aged 25-74 years was conducted before the study. There were 1493 households with an eligible population of 1160—533 men and 627 women. All 1160 eligible subjects were invited to participate in the study and 1058 (91%) consented. Of the 102 subjects who refused to participate, only eight (three men, five women) subjects were over 55 years old. The adult population of this housing estate is mostly middle grade civil servants and middle income earners from the private sector
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