P019 HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE, HEALTH POLICY, AND GUIDELINES MAPPING: A COMPARATIVE ANALYTIC STUDY ACROSS NINE AFRICAN COUNTRIES 2024

Background: Hypertension, a global burden, increases mortality from cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Worldwide, in 2019, an estimated 1.3 billion adults developed hypertension. In Africa, the cumulative estimated prevalence of hypertension is ∼30.8%. Main Objective: To perform a comparative analysis between African countries focusing on hypertension prevalence, health policy, and guidelines mapping. Methods: A descriptive comparative analytic study compared hypertension data from nine African countries: Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, in 2024. Data included hypertension prevalence, health policy, guidelines’ mapping, and hypertension management responses. Mixed statistical methods of content analysis, percentages, means, and Spearman's correlations were used. Results: Hypertension prevalence varied from 27% in Ethiopia to 43% in Eswatini. Females consistently had higher prevalence than males, 30% in Ethiopia to 47% in Eswatini, suggesting gender-specific risk factors or disparities in healthcare access/utilization. Sudan had the second-highest prevalence 44%. Eswatini implemented strong blood pressure control measures, unlike Sudan. High prevalence was also found in countries with strong policies (Eswatini, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan), suggesting urgent improved healthcare delivery, policy enforcement, and addressing other risk factors. Ghana and Somalia had lower hypertension prevalence, though fewer policies. Spearman's test showed strong negative correlations between national responses and hypertension prevalence. Salt Intake Surveys had the strongest negative correlation (-0.707) with hypertension prevalence, highlighting countries like Ethiopia and Malawi with salt intake surveys and lower prevalence, reinforcing dietary factors’ effectiveness in managing hypertension. Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia leverage trained non-physician health workers in hypertension management, thereby, improving treatment access and adherence. Treatment guidelines were moderately negatively correlated (-0.335) with hypertension prevalence. The mere presence of guidelines is insufficient, signifying their implementation and enhancement with targeted interventions Conclusions: These findings highlighted the multifaceted nature of hypertension in African countries which requires comprehensive approaches encompassing considerations of gender, socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, salt reduction, policy implementation, healthcare access, and a unified African hypertension guideline.