Frank Leonel Tianyi^1,, Valirie Ndip Agbor², Alfred Njamnshi³

Authors’ affiliations

1. Mayo-Darle sub-Divisional Hospital, Banyo, Adamawa Region, Cameroon
2. Ibal Sub-divisional Hospital, Oku, North-west Region, Cameroon.
3. Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé,   Cameroon

Corresponding author: Frank Leonel Tianyi, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of hypertension (HTN) in a rural elderly population in Cameroon, evaluate the rates of awareness, treatment and control of HTN in this population, and to describe factors associated with HTN in this population.

Methods: A total of 501 participants aged ≥50 years were randomly recruited from May to July 2013 in a house-to-house survey of the Batibo Health District (BHD). Data were measured using standardized methods modelled after the WHO STEPwise approach to Surveillance. The statistical package for social sciences version 20.0 was used for statistical analysis. Chi-squared test and Student T-tests were used to compare variables. Multivariate logistic regression of potential risk factors was used to identify predictors of HTN in this population. 

Results: In our study population, 31% were male, and mean ages were 65.4 ± 8 years in men and 61.4 ± 9 years in women. The prevalence of HTN was 57.3% (95% CI = 52.9 – 61.6). The awareness rate was 63.4%, treatment rate 96.7% and control rate 32.4%. Being overweight/obese was the lone predictor of HTN (OR: 3.46 [95%CI: 2.38 – 5.03] p< 0.001).

Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of HTN among elders in the BHD. Emphasis should be on patient education in a bid to improve the rates of BP control among patients on treatment for HTN. Healthy lifestyle measures such as reduction in salt intake and increase in physical exercise should be encouraged among the elderly.

Key words: Hypertension, elderly, community-based, awareness, treatment, control, obesity, overweight