Aishat Mustapha1, Joseph Ssekasanvu2,3, Ivy Chen4, Mary Kathryn Grabowski2,3, Robert Ssekubugu2,5, Godfrey Kigozi2,5, Steven J Reynolds2,3,6, Ronald H Gray2,3, Maria J Wawer2,3, Joseph Kagaayi2,5, Larry W Chang2,3,7, Wendy S Post3,8. 1. Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America. 2. Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda. 3. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. 4. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA. 5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. 6. Division of Intramural Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. 7. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. 8. Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Abstract
Background: Limited studies exploring the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on hypertension in Africa suggest a positive association between higher SES and hypertension. The economic development in sub-Saharan African countries has led to changes in SES and associated changes in lifestyle, diet, and physical activity, which may affect the relationship between hypertension and SES differently compared with higher income countries. This cross-sectional study from a large population-based cohort, the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), examines SES, hypertension prevalence, and associated risk factors in the rural Rakai Region in south-central Uganda. Methods: Adults aged 30-49 years residing in 41 RCCS fishing, trading, and agrarian communities, were surveyed with biometric data obtained between 2016 and 2018. The primary outcome was hypertension (systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 130 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 80 mmHg). Modified Poisson regression assessed the adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) of hypertension associated with SES; body mass index (BMI) was explored as a potential mediator. Results: Among 9,654 adults, 20.8% had hypertension (males 21.2%; females 20.4 %). Participants with hypertension were older (39.0 ± 6.0 vs. 37.8 ± 5.0; p < 0.001). Higher SES was associated with overweight or obese BMI categories (p < 0.001). In the multivariable model, hypertension was associated with the highest SES category (aPR 1.23; confidence interval 1.09-1.38; p = 0.001), older age, male sex, alcohol use, and living in fishing communities and inversely associated with smoking and positive HIV serostatus. When BMI was included in the model, there was no association between SES and hypertension (aPR 1.02; CI 0.90-1.15, p = 0.76). Conclusion: Hypertension is common in rural Uganda among individuals with higher SES and appears to be mediated by BMI. Targeted interventions could focus on lifestyle modification among highest-risk groups to optimize public health impact. Key Messages: What is already known about this subject? Hypertension is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease.There are few large epidemiological studies that investigate the relationship between hypertension and socioeconomic status in low-income countries. What are the new findings? Hypertension is common among adults in rural South-Central Uganda, particularly among those with higher socioeconomic status.BMI is a mediator of the relationship between hypertension and socioeconomic status. How might it impact on clinical practice in the foreseeable future? These findings suggest that public health interventions and community efforts to prevent chronic cardiovascular disease and hypertension should focus on lifestyle modification by elucidating obesity risk perception and health risk awareness, particularly among those of higher socioeconomic status. Copyright:
Background: Limited studies exploring the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on hypertension in Africa suggest a positive association between higher SES and hypertension. The economic development in sub-Saharan African countries has led to changes in SES and associated changes in lifestyle, diet, and physical activity, which may affect the relationship between hypertension and SES differently compared with higher income countries. This cross-sectional study from a large population-based cohort, the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), examines SES, hypertension prevalence, and associated risk factors in the rural Rakai Region in south-central Uganda. Methods: Adults aged 30-49 years residing in 41 RCCS fishing, trading, and agrarian communities, were surveyed with biometric data obtained between 2016 and 2018. The primary outcome was hypertension (systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 130 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 80 mmHg). Modified Poisson regression assessed the adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) of hypertension associated with SES; body mass index (BMI) was explored as a potential mediator. Results: Among 9,654 adults, 20.8% had hypertension (males 21.2%; females 20.4 %). Participants with hypertension were older (39.0 ± 6.0 vs. 37.8 ± 5.0; p < 0.001). Higher SES was associated with overweight or obese BMI categories (p < 0.001). In the multivariable model, hypertension was associated with the highest SES category (aPR 1.23; confidence interval 1.09-1.38; p = 0.001), older age, male sex, alcohol use, and living in fishing communities and inversely associated with smoking and positive HIV serostatus. When BMI was included in the model, there was no association between SES and hypertension (aPR 1.02; CI 0.90-1.15, p = 0.76). Conclusion: Hypertension is common in rural Uganda among individuals with higher SES and appears to be mediated by BMI. Targeted interventions could focus on lifestyle modification among highest-risk groups to optimize public health impact. Key Messages: What is already known about this subject? Hypertension is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease.There are few large epidemiological studies that investigate the relationship between hypertension and socioeconomic status in low-income countries. What are the new findings? Hypertension is common among adults in rural South-Central Uganda, particularly among those with higher socioeconomic status.BMI is a mediator of the relationship between hypertension and socioeconomic status. How might it impact on clinical practice in the foreseeable future? These findings suggest that public health interventions and community efforts to prevent chronic cardiovascular disease and hypertension should focus on lifestyle modification by elucidating obesity risk perception and health risk awareness, particularly among those of higher socioeconomic status. Copyright:
Authors: Paul K Whelton; Robert M Carey; Wilbert S Aronow; Donald E Casey; Karen J Collins; Cheryl Dennison Himmelfarb; Sondra M DePalma; Samuel Gidding; Kenneth A Jamerson; Daniel W Jones; Eric J MacLaughlin; Paul Muntner; Bruce Ovbiagele; Sidney C Smith; Crystal C Spencer; Randall S Stafford; Sandra J Taler; Randal J Thomas; Kim A Williams; Jeff D Williamson; Jackson T Wright Journal: Hypertension Date: 2017-11-13 Impact factor: 9.897
Authors: Steven Ndugwa Kabwama; Sheila Ndyanabangi; Gerald Mutungi; Ronald Wesonga; Silver K Bahendeka; David Guwatudde Journal: Glob Health Action Date: 2016-08-03 Impact factor: 2.640
Authors: M Kate Grabowski; David M Serwadda; Ronald H Gray; Gertrude Nakigozi; Godfrey Kigozi; Joseph Kagaayi; Robert Ssekubugu; Fred Nalugoda; Justin Lessler; Thomas Lutalo; Ronald M Galiwango; Fred Makumbi; Xiangrong Kong; Donna Kabatesi; Stella T Alamo; Steven Wiersma; Nelson K Sewankambo; Aaron A R Tobian; Oliver Laeyendecker; Thomas C Quinn; Steven J Reynolds; Maria J Wawer; Larry W Chang Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2017-11-30 Impact factor: 91.245