[Op.3c.03] Blood Pressure Screening Results From Healthy Heart Africa

Objective: Hypertension is highly prevalent in Africa but is characterized by poor awareness, treatment, and control rates. Healthy Heart Africa (HHA) is a comprehensive hypertension intervention program designed to improve hypertension awareness, detection, referral, treatment, and retention in care. Here, we present mass blood pressure (BP) screening results from the HHA program. Design and method: HHA was initiated in March 2015 as a partnership between local organizations, government, and industry. Protocols for identifying and managing hypertension in adults were developed through collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Health. Six partners developed and implemented novel approaches to educate, screen, and treat adult Kenyans for hypertension. Healthcare providers at participating facilities received HHA hypertension protocols and screened eligible individuals. Elevated BP was defined as > = 140/90 mmHg. Deidentified screening data were extracted from service delivery registers and summarized descriptively. Results: Over 18 months, 2,014,285 Kenyans were screened at participating facilities. Screenings occurred in health clinics (35%), home (15%), work (11%), church (10%), public meetings (7%), others (19%), and not recorded (3%). More women than men were screened (63% vs 36%; 1% gender not recorded). Urban men were more easily reached by screening along daily, busy walking commutes and through nonclinic sites. Of those screened, 21% had elevated BP; prevalence increased with increased age (Figure). More than 40% of individuals aged > = 60 years had elevated BP. More men than women in younger age groups (16–20 and 21–25 years) had elevated BP. Of those screened, 31% had normal BP (<120/80 mmHg), 48% were prehypertensive (120–139/80–89 mmHg), 14% had stage 1 hypertension (140–159/90–99 mmHg), 5% had stage 2 hypertension (160–179/100–110 mmHg), and 2% had severe BP (> = 180/110 mmHg).Conclusions: While these findings are not from a representative sample, data demonstrate high prevalence of elevated BP indicative of hypertension prevalence among Kenyan adults, illustrating the need for screening in the community. Screening in nontraditional settings may be an effective strategy to reach more men who were more difficult to reach than women. Systematic screening is expected to increase hypertension detection, treatment, and ultimately control rates.