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Summary Background Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a rising burden of hypertension. Antihypertensive medications and diet are the cornerstone of effective hypertension control. Aims To assess adherence to medication and salt restriction in 12 sub-Saharan countries, and to study the relationship between adherence and blood pressure control in patients with hypertension. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey in urban clinics in twelve sub-Saharan countries. Data were collected on demographics, treatment and adequacy of blood pressure control in patients with hypertension attending the clinics. Adherence was assessed by questionnaires completed by the patients. Hypertension grades were defined according to European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Association between adherence and blood pressure control was investigated using multilevel logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex and country. Results Among the 2198 patients, 77.4% had uncontrolled blood pressure, 34.0% were poorly adherent to salt restriction, 64.4% were poorly adherent to medication and 24.6% were poorly adherent to both. Poor adherence to salt restriction (odds ratio [OR] 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.72), medication (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.25–1.93) or both (OR 1.91 1.39–2.66) was related to uncontrolled blood pressure. Moreover, poor adherence to both medication and salt restriction was related to a 1.52-fold (95% CI 1.04–2.22), 1.8-fold (95% CI 1.22–2.65) and 3.08-fold (95% CI 2.02–4.69) increased likelihood of hypertension grade 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Conclusions High levels of poor adherence to salt restriction and medication were noted in this urban sub-Saharan study; both were significantly associated with uncontrolled blood pressure, representing major opportunities for intervention to improve hypertension control in sub-Saharan Africa.

Introduction: Systemic hypertension is a rapidly growing epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. Adequacy of blood pressure(BP) control and the factors influencing it, especially the role of socio-economic status(SES) have not been well studied in this part of the world. Hypothesis: We therefore aimed to quantify the association of SES both at the individual and at the country level with BP control in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in urban clinics of twelve countries, both low-income and middle-income, in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data were collected on demographics, treatment and standardized BP measures were made among the hypertensive patients attending the clinics. BP control was defined as BP Results: A total of 2198 hypertensive patients (58.4±11.8years; 39.9% male) were included, of whom 1017(46.3%) were from low-income and 1181(53.7%) from middle-income countries. Individual wealth level was low, mid and high in 376(17.6%), 1053(49.2%) and 713(33.3%) patients respectively. Uncontrolled hypertension was present in 1692 patients(77.4%) including 1044(47.7%) with ≥grade 2 hypertension. The proportion of uncontrolled hypertension progressively increased with decreasing level of patient individual wealth, respectively 72.8%, 79.3% and 81.8%(p for trend Conclusions: Low individual wealth was significantly associated with poor hypertension control, especially in low-income countries. Strategies for hypertension control in Sub-Saharan Africa should especially focus on people in the lowest individual wealth groups who also reside in low-income countries.

Systemic hypertension is a rapidly growing epidemic in Africa. The role of socioeconomic status on blood pressure control has not been well studied in this part of the world. We, therefore, aimed to quantify the association of socioeconomic status both at the individual and at the country level with blood pressure control in Sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in urban clinics of 12 countries, both low income and middle income, in Sub-Saharan Africa. Standardized blood pressure measures were made among the hypertensive patients attending the clinics. Blood pressure control was defined as blood pressure P for trend, P for trend, 0.03) and not in middle-income countries ( P for trend, 0.26). In low-income countries, the odds of uncontrolled hypertension increased 1.37-fold (odds ratio, 1.37 [0.99–1.90]) and 1.88-fold (odds ratio, 1.88 [1.10–3.21]) in patients with middle and low individual wealth as compared with high individual wealth. Similarly, the grade of hypertension increased progressively with decreasing level of individual patient wealth ( P for trend