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Alex Male Kato,1 Winnie Kibone,2 Jerom Okot,3 Joseph Baruch Baluku,4 Felix Bongomin3 1Department of Public Health, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda; 2School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; 3Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda; 4Division of Pulmonology, Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, Kampala, UgandaCorrespondence: Winnie Kibone, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences Makerere University, P O BOX 7072, Kampala, Uganda, Email Kibonewinnie@gmail.comBackground: The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) differs among regions and income groups, showing a substantial increase in low- and middle-income countries. The development of hypertension is modulated by modifiable lifestyle factors, and uncontrolled hypertension poses a risk for the onset of cardiovascular diseases.Objective: To determine the community-level point-prevalence and factors associated with self-reported HTN among adults in Butambala district, central Uganda.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged ≥ 18 years in Budde subcounty, central Uganda. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and behavior were collected using a semistructured questionnaire. Self-reported HTN was assessed using a single question: “Do you have high blood pressure?” Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of self-reported HTN.Results: A total of 565 participants (53.5% female) with a median age of 38 years (IQR: 26– 52) were included in the study. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 18.9%. Factors independently associated with HTN were age 60 years or older (aOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.64– 5.23, p< 0.001), female sex (aOR: 3.3, 95% CI: 2.3– 6.3, p< 0.001), being widowed (aOR: 10.4, 95% CI: 1.25– 87.14, p=0.03), secondary (aOR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.20– 0.85, p=0.016) and tertiary (aOR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.09– 0.64, p=0.005) education, unemployment (aOR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.11– 7.96, p=0.03), tobacco use (aOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.83– 4.53, p< 0.001), having had at least one blood pressure measurement during antenatal visit (aOR: 4.7, 95% CI: 1.97– 11.33, p< 0.001) or medical checkup (aOR: 10.7, 95% CI: 6.06– 18.Conclusion: We observed a high prevalence of self-reported HTN affecting approximately one in five participants. More efforts are required to enhance routine screening, health education, and accessibility to HTN services in rural areas, with a particular emphasis on implementing HTN prevention and control strategies to effectively reduce the prevalence of HTN.Keywords: self-reported hypertension, high blood pressure, blood pressure, Uganda |
