title: A blood pressure profile of rural Kadazans and Bajaus in Sabah, east Malaysia.
abstract: A survey was conducted to document the blood pressures of two indigenous groups (Kadazans and Bajaus) who reside in rural Sabah in East Malaysia. Their health knowledge status is also recorded. Fifty percent of those surveyed were unable to associate high blood pressure with a risk factor and as high as 38% were unaware of the consequences of high blood pressure. A total of 16.2% had blood pressures > or = 140/or 90mm Hg while 3.9% had blood pressures > or = 160/or 95mm Hg. While these figures are low compared to those of developed countries, lifestyle changes associated with rapid urbanization in Malaysia may be expected to increase hypertension prevalence. The strengthening of health education programs is timely as health knowledge is limited and many hypertensives default treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001893:Borneo / Q000453:epidemiology; D003906:Developing Countries; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006285:Health Planning; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014507:Urbanization