title: Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control, in male South Asian immigrants in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  South Asian males constitute the largest proportion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population. Minimal data is available on the prevalence of hypertension among South Asian immigrants in the UAE. We determined the prevalence, associated factors, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among male South Asian immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh residing in the UAE.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited a representative sample (n = 1375; 76.4 % participation rate) of South Asian adult (≥18 years) immigrant males, including Indian (n = 433), Pakistani (n = 383) and Bangladeshi (n = 559) nationalities in Al Ain, UAE (January-June 2012). Blood pressure, height, body mass, waist and hip circumference data were obtained using standard protocols. Information related to socio-demographics, lifestyle factors, history of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension was collected through a pilot-tested adapted version of the STEPS instrument, developed by the World Health Organization for the measurement of non-communicable disease risk factors at the country level .
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of participants was 34.0 years (95 % confidence interval (CI): 33.4, 34.5 years) and the overall prevalence of hypertension was 30.5 % (95 % CI 28.0, 32.8). In this study, 62 % of study participants had never had their blood pressure measured. Over three quarters (76 %) of the sample classified as hypertensive were not aware of their condition. Less than half (48.5 %) of the sample that were aware of their hypertension reported using antihypertensive medication and only 8.3 % had their hypertension under control (<140/90 mmHg). Hypertensive participants were more likely to be overweight (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.43; 95 % CI 1.01, 2.01); obese (AOR = 2.49; 95 % CI: 1.51, 4.10); have central obesity (AOR = 2.01; 95 % CI 1.37, 2.92); have a family history of hypertension (AOR = 1.51; 95 % CI 1.05, 2.17); and were less likely to walk 30 minutes daily (AOR = 1.79; 95 % CI 1.24, 2.60).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hypertension in a representative sample of young male South Asian immigrants living in the UAE was relatively high. However, the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension within this population were very low. Strategies are urgently needed to improve the awareness and control of hypertension in this large population of migrant workers in the UAE.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. syeds@uaeu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Syed M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Tom.Loney@UAEU.AC.AE.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Loney
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. msheekhussein@UAEU.AC.AE.
authors.forename: Mohamud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheek-Hussein
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. msadig@uaeu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Sadig
authors.affiliation: Ambulatory Health Services. SEHA, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. smaldhaheri@ahs.ae.
authors.forename: Salma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Dhaheri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. ielbarazi@uaeu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Iffat
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: El Barazi
authors.affiliation: Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. lmAlMarzouqi@dha.gov.ae.
authors.forename: Layla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Al Marzouqi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. tcaw@uaeu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Tar-Ching
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Aw
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. ra107@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Raghib
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001364:Awareness; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents