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Prevalence of Hypertension in Ghana: Analysis of an Awareness and Screening Campaign in 2019

2022; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 16; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/11795468221120092

1179-5468

Elliot Koranteng Tannor, Obed Ofori Nyarko, Yaw Adu‐Boakye, Saabea Owusu Konadu, Gilda Opoku, Frank Ankobea-Kokroe, Mercy Naa Aduele Opare-Addo, Lambert Appiah, Evans Xorse Amuzu, Gilgal Justice Ansah, Kate Appiah-Boateng, Emmanuel Ofori, Daniel Ansong,

Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors

Hypertension is an important public health menace globally and in sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of hypertension is on the rise in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC) such as Ghana. This rise led to the adoption of the May Measurement Month (MMM) initiative, a global blood pressure screening campaign. We aimed to create awareness and present the findings of the 2019 MMM screening campaign in the Ashanti region of Ghana.Ghana was 1 of 92 countries that participated in this global community-based cross-sectional study in May 2019. Participants (⩾18 years) were recruited by opportunistic sampling. The blood pressures of participants were measured 3 times and the mean of the last 2 was used for the analysis. Summary statistics were used to describe the data. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the predictors of hypertension.We screened 3080 participants with a mean age of 39.8 ± 16.8 years. The prevalence of hypertension was 27.3% among participants. Two-thirds of the hypertensives were unaware of their condition and only 49.5% of participants with a history of hypertension on medication were controlled. Predictors of hypertension in a multiple logistic regression were increasing age (OR = 1.05 (CI 1.04-1.06), P < .001) and high body mass index (OR = 1.06 (1.02-1.10), P = .005).The MMM initiative is highly commendable and of huge public health importance in LMICs like Ghana. Population-based health programs such as the MMM initiative is encouraged to shape appropriate public health policies to reduce the prevalence of hypertension.