Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hypertension is emerging as an alarming public-health problem causes organ damage. OBJECTIVES: To identify prevalence of hypertension and predictor factors among rural population in four states in Sudan. METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in sixteen rural areas in Sudan during April 2012. A total of 3020 adult were interviewed using structured questionnaire and blood pressure was measured before and after the interview. Hypertension was taken as ≥140 mmHg and ≥90 mmHg for systole and diastole respectively. ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistic was presented; Sex and mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were tested using ANOVA for individuals on antihypertensive medication. Predictor factors to hypertension were tested by logistic regression. RESULTS: Prevalence of hypertension among rural population was 15.8%. Overall means of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 128.6 ± 17.7 and 81.5 ± 11.6 respectively while the means among hypertensive individuals was 154.74 ±14.4 and 97.98±8.4 respectively Known hypertensive individuals were 20.1%; out of whom 71.7% were hypertensive and 22.4% have Target Organ Damage. Those on anti-hypertensive medications were 76.4% and normotensive were 55.1%. Individuals having both diabetes and hypertension were 3.3% and 80.2% were hypertensive. Log regression model showed age, smoking, diabetes and family hypertension were predictors of hypertension by 3.6%, 34.9%, 49.7% and 56.8% respectively (P-value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of hypertension among rural Sudan was 15.8%. Family history was the strongest predictor of hypertension.