There is a high prevalence of suboptimal blood pressure and glycemic control among patients accessing primary level healthcare in Ghana, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to improve treatment outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and are common indications for adult in-patient admissions in Ghana. Primary health facility data on blood pressure (BP) and glycemic control are needed to model the impact of strategies to reduce the high burden of cardiovascular disease risk in Africa. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at four primary healthcare facilities in Ghana, from January 2023 to December 2023. Glycemic control was defined as fasting blood glucose 60 years) (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.1, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of suboptimal blood pressure and glycemic control was high for patients accessing primary level healthcare. Age, education, and complications were associated with suboptimal blood pressure and glycemic control. Strategies to reduce the high burden of suboptimal blood pressure and glycemic control should address patient- and facility-level factors to improve treatment outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Hinneh et al. (Thu,) studied this question.