HE PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSIONS AND ITS ASSOCIATED

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is a major public health problem throughout the world and is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular mortality. Therefore, obtaining evidence on prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors will facilitate the interventional measures to avert the preventable risk factors of hypertension. Objective: the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypertensions and its associated factors among adults aged 25-64 years in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (AM-HDSS), southern Ethiopia, 2017. Method: A community based analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to June 2017 in AM-HDSS, Southern Ethiopia. The sample size was determined based on the WHO STEPS for cronic non-communicable disease surveillance guideline. The total sample size was 3368 and individual study participant was selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using WHO STEPS instruments translated to Amharic. EPI-data version 3.1 statistical software was used for entry and cleaning and SPSS version 24 for data management and analysis. Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed for analysis of risk factors for hypertension. Result: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 11.5% [95%CI: 10.4-12.6]. Gender wise, 12.3% of female and 10.7% of male participants were hypertensive. In final multivariate logistic regression model, age groups: 45-54 years [AOR=1.7] and 55-64 years [AOR=2.4], education: able to read and write [AOR=1.83], current consumption of smokeless tobacco [AOR=1.62, p<0.017], Ever consumption of khat [AOR=2.98, p<0.000], Low fruit and vegetable Consumption [AOR=1.31, P<0.019], central obesity [AOR=1.59, P<0.005], overweight or obesity [AOR=1.57, P<0.005], sever mental stress [AOR=1.71, p<0.03] were found to have a positive association with hypertension. Beside to this, current consumption of smoking tobacco [AOR=0.63, p<0.016], eating meat all type 1-3 times/month [AOR=0.60] and 1-4 times/year [AOR=0.52], and 2nd quantile wealth status [AOR=0.68, p<0.027] were found to have a negative association with hypertension. Conclusion: This study showed that hypertension affected almost one in ten of the adult population and its socio-behavioral risk factors were common in study setting. Therefore, encouraging older age group for frequent blood pressure checkups, discouraging local substance abuse, improving socio- economic status and further extended studies have to be in place to reduce these formidable Problems.