Prevalence of Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus in a Health District of Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus pose increasing public health challenges in developing countries. This study assessed the burden of hypertension and diabetes mellitus across three local government areas (LGAs) within the largest district of Lagos in south western Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted consecutively among 2,060 consenting residents from the three LGAs (Agege, Alimosho, and Ifako-Ijaiye) in Lagos State's largest district in November 2023. Health information officers collected data using a questionnaire during an outreach program. Prehypertension and hypertension were defined using the JNC-7 criteria, while the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was based on the American Diabetes Association classification. Results: Among 2,060 participants, the mean age was 48.15 years; 78.3% were female, 70.4% self-employed, and 85% lacked health insurance. Prehypertension and hypertension prevalence were 34.4% and 39.5%, while 2.5% of the participants had diabetes and 7.5% had impaired blood glucose. The peak age group for hypertension was 40-59 years and above 60 years, for diabetes. Participants less than 40 years old were 5.8 times more likely to have normal BP than those over 40 years of age. Similarly, individuals with normal blood glucose were 3.87 times more likely to have normal blood pressure. Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in Lagos Health District 1, emphasizing a major public health concern. The results underscore the urgent necessity for health interventions focused on preventing, early detection, and treatment of the increasing rates of these conditions among the population.