Magnitude of Hypertension and Associated Factors Among Diabetic Patients at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Background and Aims: Hypertension (HTN) is a frequent comorbidity in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), increasing the risk of cardiovascular and renal complications. Despite global recognition of the coexistence of HTN and DM, region-specific data in southern Ethiopia, particularly the Sidama region, remain limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of HTN and identify associated factors among diabetic patients attending Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HUCSH). Methods: < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of HTN was 52.9% (95% CI: 46.0-60.0) among diabetic patients. Of this, only 11.7% cases achieved target blood pressure control. Being female sex (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21-0.90), age ≥ 60 years (AOR = 5.90; 95% CI: 1.62-20.87), overweight status (AOR = 3.51; 95% CI: 1.58-7.77), family history of HTN (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI: 1.14-11.40), chronic kidney disease (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI: 1.04-12.50), and dyslipidemia (AOR = 3.03; 95% CI: 1.44-6.37) were significantly associated with HTN. Conclusion: More than half of diabetic patients had HTN. This highlights the need for focused screening and management strategies, emphasizing on identified modifiable risks to alleviate the problem and manage the cases.