PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES MELLITUS IN ADULTS FROM A RURAL COMMUNITY IN GHANA

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Adankwame community of Ghana. Design: This was a cross-sectional, observational study. Setting: This study took place in the rural Adankwame community of Ghana, approximately 12 km from Kumasi, Ghana. Participants: Study subjects were adults (older than aged 18 years). A two-tier random sampling approach was taken to recruit study participants to achieve a sample size of 326 adults, 94 males and 232 females. Main Outcome Measures: The subjects' height, weight, abdominal circumference, demographic and risk factor information, blood pressure measurements, and blood glucose levels were measured and recorded. Results: The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the population were 131 (SD 26.61) and 78 mmHg (SD 15.24), respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 0.35 (95% CI 0.30-0.40). The prevalence of pre-hypertension, Stage 1 hypertension, and Stage 2 hypertension were approximately 0.248, 0.19, and 0.16, respectively. Mean fasting blood sugar and random blood sugar in the study population were 108 mg/dL (SD 35.33) and 131 mg/dL (SD 41.35), respectively. The overall prevalence of DM in this sample population was 0.077 (95% CI 0.05-0.11). Conclusions: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are rising as diseases of public health importance in the Adankwame community. Research to provide substantial data on the prevalence of these two diseases in Ghana is needed to inform national non-communicable disease policy. (Ethn Dis. 2012;22[3]:347-352)