Black Sub-Saharan African women exhibited the highest hypertension prevalence (39.7%) and lowest control rates (54.1%) compared to other ethnic groups.
Cross-Sectional (n=595,484)
Yes
Black Sub-Saharan African women have a disproportionately high burden of hypertension and poorer blood pressure control compared to other ethnic groups, highlighting the need for culturally tailored screening and management.
Absolute Event Rate: 39.7% vs 25.2%
Objective: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease globally. The May Measurement Month (MMM) initiative promotes blood pressure (BP) screening to raise awareness. Epidemiological data on hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control among Black women in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) are relatively sparse – this study aimed to investigate this population compared with other ethnic groups participating in the MMM 2021, 2022, and 2023 campaigns. Design and method: Adults (>=18 years) had opportunistic BP screening using a standardised protocol. Three seated BP measurements were taken, along with a questionnaire collecting information on demographics and comorbidities. Females who reported Black SSA (n=91,916), East and Southeast Asian (ESA) (n=347,718), South Asian (n=73,779), or White European (n=82,071) ethnicity were included in analysis. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP >=140mmHg or diastolic BP >=90 mmHg, or taking BP-lowering medication. Results: In total, 595,484 participants from 62 countries were included (mean age: 46.4±16.4 years). Black SSA women were the youngest (41.7 years) and exhibited the highest age-standardised mean systolic (125.4 mmHg) and diastolic (79.9 mmHg) BP. Hypertension prevalence was highest in Black SSA women (39.7%) and lowest in ESA women (25.2%). Among hypertensive participants, awareness and treatment rates were lowest amongst ESA women (37.3% and 35.7%, respectively), while control rates among treated hypertensives (BP =140 mmHg and diastolic BP >= 90mmHg) was the most common phenotype in Black SSA (41.3%) and White (36.3%) women, whilst isolated diastolic hypertension (systolic BP =90 mmHg) predominated in ESA women (37.5%), and isolated systolic hypertension (systolic BP >=140 mmHg and diastolic BP <90 mmHg) predominated in South Asian women (36.9%). Conclusions: Black SSA women demonstrate a particularly high burden of hypertension and poorer BP control. Together with lower rates of hypertension awareness and treatment found in East and Southeast Asian women, these findings suggest a need for culturally tailored screening, education, and health system interventions to improve early detection and effective management in these populations.
Peterson et al. (Fri,) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=595,484). Black Sub-Saharan African ethnicity vs. East and Southeast Asian, South Asian, and White European ethnicity was evaluated on Hypertension prevalence. Black Sub-Saharan African women exhibited the highest hypertension prevalence (39.7%) and lowest control rates (54.1%) compared to other ethnic groups.