CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 23, No 5, June 2012
AFRICA
265
Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of
hypertension among adults 50 years and older in Dakar,
Senegal
E Macia, P DUBOZ, L GUEYE
Abstract
Background:
Older adults are disproportionately affected by
hypertension, which is an established risk factor for cardio-
vascular disease. Despite these facts, no study on the preva-
lence, awareness, treatment and control on arterial hyper-
tension in Senegal has been conducted, specifically among
elderly people.
Methods:
Five hundred people aged 50 years and older,
living in the city of Dakar were interviewed. This sample was
constructed using the combined quota method in order to
strive for representativeness of the target population.
Results:
Prevalence of hypertension was 65.4% in our
sample. Half of those suffering from high blood pressure
were aware of their problem and among the latter, 70% said
they were on treatment. However, of these, only 17% had
controlled arterial blood pressure. The only factor associated
with awareness, treatment and control of hypertension was
the frequency of doctor visits.
Conclusion:
Improving follow-up health checks of older
adults are necessary to limit the consequences of hyperten-
sion in Dakar.
Keywords:
hypertension, risk factors, older adults, Senegal
Submitted 11/5/11, accepted 19/7/11
Cardiovasc J Afr
2012;
23
: 265–269
DOI: 10.5830/CVJA-2011-039
Cardiovascular disease is an emerging problem in sub-Saharan
Africa.
1
In Senegal, mortality associated with such diseases
is already over half that related to non-contagious diseases.
2
Moreover, hypertension is a prime risk factor for cardiovascular
disease due to both its widespread prevalence and low control
rate among populations,
3
making hypertension a major public
health problem
per se
in sub-Saharan Africa.
Urbanisation and the adoption of aWestern lifestyle contribute
greatly to the rising incidence of hypertension in sub-Saharan
Africa.
4
Recent studies conducted in the region have shown that
hypertension was already as frequent in these cities as it is in
developed countries.
5-14
In Dakar, its prevalence among adults 20
yearsandolderwas27.5%in2009.
15
Thesefindingsareparticularly
alarming due to the present low rates of detection, treatment
and control of hypertension observed in sub-Saharan Africa.
5
Whether carried out in Western countries or in sub-Saharan
Africa, all studies show that the prevalence of arterial hypertension
rises drastically with age and that the elderly are the population
segment the most at risk.
7,16
In Dakar, again according to the
previously cited study, nearly 70% of adults 50 years and older
are believed to suffer from hypertension.
15
Despite this evidence,
and to our knowledge, no study pertaining to the awareness,
treatment and control of arterial hypertension in sub-Saharan
Africa has been specifically conducted among the elderly. Most
research conducted in this geographic area considers older
people as a non-specific and homogenous population category
(the ‘50 years and older’ for example). Yet, studies carried out
in both developed and developing countries demonstrate clear
evolution in the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of
hypertension during the aging process.
17-19
The aims of this study were therefore to (1) assess the
prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension
in the population aged 50 years and older living in the city of
Dakar; (2) identify factors associated with hypertension, and also
its awareness, treatment and control.
Methods
This study was conducted from January to June 2009 on a sample
of 500 individuals. The sample was constructed using the quota
method (cross-section by age, gender and town of residence) in
order to strive for representativeness of the population 50 years
and older living in the city of Dakar. Data from the Agence
Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie dating from
the last census (2002) were used to this end. The quota variables
used were gender (male/female), age (50–59, 60–69, 70 years
and older) and town of residence.
The towns were grouped into the four districts making up
the city of Dakar: Plateau-Gorée (five towns), Grand Dakar (six
towns), Parcelles Assainies (four towns) and Almadies (four
towns). This method requires building up a sample that follows
the proportions observed in the general population: for example,
according to the last census, men aged 50–59 years living in the
town of Medina (district of Plateau-Gorée) represented 2.4% of
the population of 50 years and older living in the city of Dakar.
The sample was constructed so as to reflect this proportion and
included 12 men 50–59 years old living in this town.
For each town, four investigators (PhD students in the
departments of Medicine and Pharmacy) started out from
different points each day to measure and interview individuals
in Wolof or French in every third home. Investigators had a
set number of individuals to interview (women and men 50–59
years, 60–69 years, and 70 years and over in each town) to meet
the quotas. Only one person was selected as a respondent in each
home.
The objective of this bio-anthropological survey was to carry
UMI 3189 Environnement, santé, sociétés, Université Cheikh
Anta Diop/CNRS/Université de Bamako/CNRST, Burkina-
Faso, Senegal
E Macia, PhD,
P DUBOZ, PhD
L GUEYE, PhD
