Public Awareness and Knowledge of Hypertension in West Africa: Addressing the Gaps in Health Education

Hypertension, a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and mortality worldwide, poses an escalating public health challenge in West Africa. Despite its high prevalence, public awareness and knowledge of hypertension remain critically low across the region. Factors such as urbanization, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, cultural beliefs, limited health literacy, and weak healthcare systems exacerbate the issue. This review explores the epidemiology of hypertension in West Africa, focusing on public awareness levels, misconceptions, and socioeconomic barriers. It also highlights the gaps in current health education strategies, including inadequate community outreach, insufficient use of media, and poorly trained healthcare workers. To address these gaps, the review proposes comprehensive strategies such as community-based education programs, integration of hypertension awareness in schools and workplaces, leveraging mass media and digital platforms, strengthening primary healthcare systems, and fostering public-private partnerships. Case studies from Nigeria and Ghana illustrate successful interventions, while challenges to implementation are examined. The review concludes with recommendations for evidence-based, culturally tailored strategies to enhance hypertension awareness and preventive practices, contributing to the mitigation of this growing public health burden in West Africa. Keywords: Hypertension awareness, public health education, West Africa, cardiovascular diseases.