Hypertension Prevalence in Africa in the Last Two Decades: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

 Background: One of the dominant and the increasing causes of cardiovascular disease in Africa is hypertension. This burden has perhaps shifted a rapid urbanization, demographic flux and altering factors of lifestyle during the past two decades which have been accompanied by stature variance in prevalence estimations as documented across the countries and environments.

Objective:In order to generalize evidence on the prevalence of hypertension in African people over the last two decades (20002020), to estimate pooled prevalence, and to analyze heterogeneity in times, places and sociodemographic.

Methods:The large databases (e.g., MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Africabib) and the grey publications that comprised the population-based research on the prevalence of hypertension among adults in 20002020 were systematically searched. Both reviewers independently screened studies, extracted and assessed the risk of bias. The study-reported measures were used to measure hypertension (usually 140 or more/ 90 or more mmHg or use of antihypertensive medication). The heterogeneity was measured by I2 and Cochran Q; the prevalence was measured on a pooled basis by random-effects meta-analyses (DerSimonianLaird); in prespecified subgroup analysis (effects of the study period, 20002010 and 20112020; region, North, West, East, Central, Southern Africa; urban versus rural setting; sex; and age). To measure publication bias, visual assessment and Egger test were performed.

Results:We identified XX studies (N 830,830 adults) including such studies. The overall prevalence of hypertension of the studies was approximately 30 per cent (studies estimates were very widespread, generally 15-55 per cent), and the heterogeneity between the studies was strong (I 2 more than 90 per cent). Prevalence also estimates were of higher prevalence in urban than rural population and more recent estimates ( 20112020) indicate higher pooled prevalence than the older estimates and seems to indicate an increasing trend over the two decades. In most research studies, awareness of hypertension, its control and treatment was continuous and the control in most times was not as well as suggested.

Conclusion:The levels and rising incidences of hypertension among the African adults is so diverse both geographically as well as urbanized and age wise. The lack of awareness and treatment/control points out that an acute lack of scaled public-health contribution like population-based prevention, increase in screening, and enhance primary-care control, is also a resolution to reduce the cardiovascular impose in the future.