Author(s)

Sylvie Ndongo Amougou^1,2*, Karen Kamgoum Tchokote³, Ba Hamadou^1,4, Ahmadou Musa Jingi¹, Chris Nadège Nganou-Gnindjio^1,4, Marie Ntep Ngwet^3,4, Liliane Mfeukeu Kuaté^1,4, Bonaventure Jemea^2,5, Lucie Ebah Epok¹, Dieudonné Danwé¹, Samuel Kingue^1,6

¹Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon.
²University Teaching Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroun.
³Institute of Medical Technologies, University of Douala, Cameroun.
⁴Central Hospital of Yaounde, Cameroun.
⁵Department of Surgery and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon.
⁶General Hospital of Yaounde, Cameroun.

Introduction: High blood pressure is a public problem worldwide because of its high morbidity and mortality. The greatest burden is in low-income set-tings. The burden of disease has not been studied in health workers in our setting. Methods: Between December 2016 and June 2017, we carried out a cross-sectional descriptive and analytic study in two teaching hospitals in Yaounde, using the WHO STEP wise approach. Participants were consenting Physicians, Nurses, Midwives, and Nursing assistants of both sex, aged ≥ 21 years. Results: A total of 266 health workers were screened—31 Physicians, 144 Nurses, 80 Nursing assistants, and 11 Midwives. Their mean age was 41.1 ± 7.6 years (25 to 66 years), and 84.6% were females. The prevalence of Hypertension was 13.9%, of which 54.1% were newly diagnosed—Awareness rate of 45.9%. The control rate of known cases of hy-pertension was 64.7% (64.3% in those on monotherapy, and 66.7% in those on bitherapy). Age > 40 years, and adiposity were significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusion: Compared to the general population, the prevalence of hypertension amongst health workers was low, but with a high rate of un-awareness.

Hypertension, Health Workers, Prevalence, Yaounde

Amougou, S. , Tchokote, K. , Hamadou, B. , Jingi, A. , Nganou-Gnindjio, C. , Ngwet, M. , Kuaté, L. , Jemea, B. , Epok, L. , Danwé, D. and Kingue, S. (2018) Prevalence, Awareness, and Control of Hypertension in Health Workers of Two Teaching Hospitals of Yaounde-Cameroon: The Hypertension Awareness Initiative (THAI) Pilot Survey. Open Access Library Journal, 5, 1-10. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1104820.