Epidemiology of Hypertension in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of disease in the world. This study is a systematic review paper, intended to provide compressive evidence on the prevalence, distribution, determinants, and burden of hypertension in Ethiopia.

Methods

A quantitative epidemiological literature review was conducted by searching different articles in different databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, and Google scholar. The search involved population-based, hospital-based, and institution-based studies on hypertension conducted in Ethiopia. All data were extracted independently by two reviewers using data collection formats. Finally, this review included 22 studies.

Results

Different studies reported varied prevalence of hypertension because of the differences in participant’s mean ages, source population, and study settings. Population-based studies revealed the prevalence of hypertension to be 9.3–30.3%, institution-based studies revealed 7–37%, whereas hospital-based studies revealed 13.2–18.8%. In studies included in this review, about 37–78% of hypertensive patients were not aware of their blood pressure condition. There was a high prevalence of hypertension in urban residents, and different factors were associated with hypertension, including being overweight, family history of hypertension, age, sex, diabetes mellitus, alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and obesity.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Hypertension was substantially prevalent in Ethiopia, which calls for the implementation of timely and appropriate strategies for the prevention and control of the disease.

Keywords:

• hypertension
• epidemiology
• prevalence
• associated factors
• Ethiopia

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to all individuals who were involved in the research.

Abbreviations

BP, blood pressure; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; HTN, hypertension; NCD, noncommunicable disease; WHO, World Health Organization.

Data Sharing Statement

The literature analyzed in the current study are available from online data sources by using the references listed.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

Not applicable

Consent for Publication

Not applicable

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, have agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests for this work.

Additional information

Funding

This study received no support from a funding agency.