Awareness status and prevalence of hypertension in a group of urban Haitians: findings of a population-based survey.
OBJECTIVE
The primary purpose of this project was to evaluate knowledge and awareness status about hypertension among a group of Haitian adults in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and also to assess treatment status among hypertensive persons within this group.


METHODS
Adults (> or =18 yrs) accompanying a sick person to a private clinic or a health center were asked to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Face-to-face questionnaires were administered to volunteers. Blood pressure measurements, weight, and height were obtained on site.


RESULTS
A total of 382 subjects enrolled. Two hundred and eighty-nine subjects (approximately 76%) were normotensives. Among hypertensives: thirty-nine (10%) had borderline hypertension with systolic pressure > or =140<160 mm Hg and diastolic pressure > or =90<95 mm Hg, while fifty-four (14%) had blood pressure levels > or =160/95 mm Hg. Among subjects classified as hypertensive, fifty-seven (61%) were unaware of their high blood pressure and its risk. Only 3 of those aware (8%) reported receiving regular therapy. Thirty percent (30%) of participants believed hypertension was not a serious problem.


CONCLUSIONS
These results highlight the need for information about awareness, prevalence, and control of hypertension in Haiti's population. This information could be used as the baseline in the planning of a cost-effective national primary prevention strategy.
Shipp
M L
ML
Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35205, USA. mshipp@dopm.uab.edu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population