Education, occupation and health status of people of age five years or more living in a high density urban area in Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVE
To find out the education, occupation and health status of people aged five years or more living in a high density urban area in Zimbabwe.


METHODS
Cross sectional.


METHODS
Households in Chitungwiza.


METHODS
Persons of age five years or more available in a household at the time of the survey. In 1990 and 1993, 822 and 1,023 people were surveyed, respectively.


METHODS
Educational level, employment, rate of smoking, nutritional status, blood pressure level, and rate of disability.


RESULTS
After the age of 24 years, more males than females were observed in both periods. A much higher proportion (x2 = 20.34, df = 1, p < 0.001) of women were in informal employment in 1993 (28.6%) than in 1990 (12.9%). Meanwhile, about an equal proportion of men were in the informal sector in both periods (12.0% and 10.4% in 1990 and 1993, respectively). For females of age 15 years or more, fewer (40.8%) had attained secondary education than males (76.4%) in 1990 (x2 = 50.2, df = 1, p < 0.001). Overall, 208 (36.1%) men and eight (1.3%) women of age 15 years or more smoked. Raised blood pressure for both sexes increased significantly with age (x2 for linear trend = 20.21 for men and 65.81 for women, df = 1, p < 0.001 for both sexes). More women of age 45 years or more had raised blood pressure than men (x2 = 4.67, df = 1, p = 0.031). Many more women (8.0%) than men (0.7%) had a Ponderal Index of greater than 27 (x2 = 19.33, df = 1, p < 0.001). A total of 12 (1.5%) persons were disabled.


CONCLUSIONS
Raised blood pressure and obesity mainly affected women and interventions to improve their health is recommended.
Watts
T E
TE
Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe Medical School, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Siziya
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011156:Population Density; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology