title: Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, control and associated factors in a developing southern Chinese population: analysis of serial cross-sectional health survey data 2002-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate trends in the distribution, prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in a Chinese population that has had the fastest growing gross domestic product in the world over the past 3 decades.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four standardized cross-sectional health surveys were conducted between 2002 and 2010 in a population consisting of 85 million residents in Guangdong Province. Multistage cluster sampling was adopted to recruit representative samples. The data were obtained through on-site health examinations and face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aging trend in this population was not significant (P = 0.17) during the survey period, whereas body mass index/waist circumference increased significantly (P = 0.047 for body mass index and P < 0.001 for waist circumference). The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension increased from 10.5% to 13.3%, averaging a 0.35% increase per year. A higher risk was observed in younger residents over the survey period. Awareness and treatment increased by 22.0% and 19.0%, respectively, in the rural areas, whereas there was no significant change in the urban area (the corresponding figures were 1.8% and -3.1%, respectively). There was no improvement in hypertension control (the age-standardized control prevalence in 2002 was 50.3%, whereas it was 43.2% in 2010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hypertension increased slightly in this population with the fastest economic development. This increase mirrored the trend of increasing obesity. Awareness and treatment of hypertension have improved in the rural areas, although there were no significant changes in the urban areas. The prevalence of awareness and treatment remains at unacceptably low levels, suggesting that urgent and aggressive strategies are necessary to improve hypertension control and intervention.
authors.affiliation: Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China;
authors.forename: Xiang Qian
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou, China;
authors.forename: Yan Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
authors.forename: Martin Chi Sang
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yong Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou, China; Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China. mwj68@tom.com.
authors.forename: Wen Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qiu Mao
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hao Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
authors.forename: Xiao Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
authors.forename: Jin Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
authors.forename: Sian Meryl
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chinese; blood pressure; hypertension; obesity; trends.