title: Hypertension and associated factors among university students in Gondar, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypertension causes considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, evidences on the burden of hypertension and associated factors are lacking among college students in resource-poor settings. This study measured the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors among university students in Gondar, Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected college students in Gondar, Ethiopia. Trained data collectors administered a pre-tested and structured WHO STEPS questionnaire for data collection. Data were entered using the EPI INFO version 2002 a statistical soft ware. Stata version 11.0 was also employed for descriptive and logistics regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 610 college students were screened for hypertension of which 453 (74.4%) were male and 157(25.6%) female with the male to female sex ratio of 2.9:1. The prevalence of hypertension was 7.7%. Higher rates of hypertension were observed among male [AOR: 3.12, 95% CI (1.16- 8.36)], overweight [AOR: 6.92, 95% CI; (2.65-18.07)] and participants who had sleep duration of ≤ 5 hours [AOR: 3.48, 95% CI (1.69-7.15)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high burden of hypertension was observed among college students in Gondar, Ethiopia. Male sex, overweight and sleep duration of ≤ 5 hours were identified as independent risk factors for the disease. Preventive measures, such as increasing awareness and early screening for the disease in young adults warranted.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, the University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia. takeletadesse1627@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Takele
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tadesse
authors.forename: Henok
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alemu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult