Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among adults 50 years and older in Dakar, Senegal

BACKGROUND Older adults are disproportionately affected by hypertension, which is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Despite these facts, no study of the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control on arterial hypertension in Senegal has been conducted, specifically among elderly people. METHODS Five hundred people aged 50 years and older, living in the city of Dakar were interviewed. This sample was constructed using the combined quota method in order to strive for representativeness of the target population. RESULTS Prevalence of hypertension was 65.4% in our sample. Half of those suffering from high blood pressure were aware of their problem and among the latter, 70% said they were on treatment. However, of these, only 17% had controlled arterial blood pressure. The only factor associated with awareness, treatment and control of hypertension was the frequency of doctor visits. CONCLUSION Improving follow-up health checks of older adults are necessary to limit the consequences of hypertension in Dakar.