RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to assess the public health burden of hypertension in the rural communities in southeastern Nigeria (Niger Delta region of Nigeria). DESIGN/SETTING: The study was a cross-sectional study in three rural communities in the Cross River and Akwa Ibom States of Nigeria. Demographic, anthropometric information, prior history of hypertension or stroke in each participant or their parents was obtained with a questionnaire. Height, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of respondents were measured by standard methods, and body mass index calculated. RESULT: The N of respondents was 3869; 1608 (41.6%) males, 2261 (58.4%) females; 1120 (29.0%) Efiks, 1877 (48.5%) Ibibio/Annangs, and 872 (22.5%) Obolos. Mean SBP and DBP were significantly higher in males than in females (P < .001). Prior awareness of hypertension was 2.8%. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 914 (23.6%); 31.2% males and 18.1% females (P < .001). The prevalence of hypertension in the ethnic groups was 479 (25.5%) among Ibibio/Annangs; 287 (25.6%) among the Efiks and 130 (14.9%) among the Obolos. Prehypertension occurred in 17.2% of total population, 17.5% males and 16.9% females (P = .66). CONCLUSION: Hypertension is already a major public health burden in rural communities of these two states, despite a very low incidence of obesity and cigarette smoking.