Prevalence of hypertension among Patients Seeking Care in selected health facilities in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone

Abstract

Hypertension is a multifactorial disease caused by various environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors. Hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular mortality in Sierra Leone, with the prevalence estimated to be 29.4% among males and 31.6% among females. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure among people seeking medical treatment at four health facilities in the southern province of Sierra Leone.We obtained anonymized individual records of blood pressure measurements from four health facilities (Njala University Hospital, Dandabu CHC, Futa Pejeh CHC, and Njala University Teaching Health Center). A total of 1,793 outpatient records were collected. Linear regression was used with age (years) and sex as independent variables. The total prevalence of hypertension in our study was 36.8%. The average male patient was an adult (37.5 years) with healthy blood pressure (123/75.4 mm/Hg). The average female patient was relatively young (27.6 years) with healthy blood pressure (113.8/72.8 mm/Hg). Age and sex significantly affect the increase of blood pressure in the study. Based on this finding, we recommend the improvement of healthcare infrastructure and affordable antihypertensive medication for all patients.