Prevalence of Hypertension among the Adult Population in Daura Zone, Katsina State, Nigeria

Background: Nigeria has a high prevalence of hypertension, which is costly to treat and has serious complications. The changes in hypertension trends require regular surveillance to design and implement effective control strategies. Objective: This study was designed to examine the prevalence of hypertension in the Daura zone of Katsina State, Nigeria. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 210 adults in the 30- to 70-year-old age range were selected. The respondents were chosen using a combination of systematic and simple random sampling techniques. Data on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and medical history were gathered through semi-structured questionnaires administered by the interviewer. Blood pressure readings were taken using normal methods, where BP<140/90 was considered normal and ≥140/90 was considered high. Descriptive statistics such as means and standard deviations were utilised in summarising the data, while inferential statistics such as t-test and ANOVA were used to determine the differences in respondents' physical features and blood pressure. Results: Mean age of respondents was 43.9±16.4 years; 44.41±16.7 years in the rural and 43.09±15.9 years in the urban; 27.8% were without formal education; 281(29.4%) in the rural and 161(25.4%) in the urban; 40.0% were aware of being hypertensive. A total respondents with no formal educational attainment were 40 (19.1%). The finding of this study revealed a high prevalence (46.3%) of hypertension in the population studied, with a mean age ±SD of 42.20±15.60 years. Mean systolic BP (SBP) was 136.9±26.5mmHg while mean diastolic BP (DBP) was 83.9±15.3mmHg. A total of 91(46.3%) had high blood pressure; 69/137 (50.4%) in the rural and 22/73 (30.4%) in the urban communities. A total of 22, representing 10.5% had mild hypertension, 34, representing 16.1% had moderate hypertension, while 35, representing 16.7% had severe hypertension. Conclusion: Prevalence of hypertension in the Daura zone of Katsina State was 46.3% which was higher in the rural than urban areas.