TY - JOUR
T1 - Rural-urban variation in hypertension among women in Ghana: insights from a national survey
AU - APPIAH, Francis
AU - AMEYAW, Edward Kwabena
AU - ODURO, Joseph Kojo
AU - BAATIEMA, Linus
AU - SAMBAH, Francis
AU - SEIDU, Abdul Aziz
AU - AHINKORAH, Bright Opoku
AU - BUDU, Eugene
N1 - We are most grateful to Measure DHS for making data available for the study.
PY - 2021/11/24
Y1 - 2021/11/24
N2 - BackgroundHypertension is one of the leading causes
of cardiovascular morbidities in Ghana and represents a major public health
concern. There is dearth of information on the rural-urban disparity in
hypertension among women in Ghana. Therefore, this study aimed at examining the
rural-urban variation in hypertension among women in Ghana.MethodsWe extracted data from the women’s file of
the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The sample included 9333 women
aged 15–49 with complete data on hypertension. The analysis was done using
Pearson Chi-square and binary logistic regression at 95% confidence interval.
The results of the binary logistic regression were presented as Odds Ratios
(ORs) and Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsHypertension prevalence among urban and
rural residents were 9.5% and 5.1% respectively. Rural women had lower odds of
hypertension [OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.52, 0.67] compared to urban women, however,
this was insignificant in the adjusted model [aOR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.70, 1.00].
The propensity to be hypertensive was lower for women aged 15–19 [aOR = 0.07;
95% CI = 0.05, 0.11]. The poorest were less likely to be hypertensive
[aOR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.45, 0.89]. Single women were also less probable to have
hypertension [aOR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.46, 0.97].Conclusions
Women from urban and rural areas shed
similar chance to be hypertensive in Ghana. Therefore, the health sector needs
to target women from both areas of residence (rural/urban) when designing their
programmes that are intended to modify women’s lifestyle in order to reduce
their risks of hypertension. Other categories of women that need to be
prioritised to avert hypertension are those who are heading towards the end of
their reproductive age, richest women and the divorced.
AB - BackgroundHypertension is one of the leading causes
of cardiovascular morbidities in Ghana and represents a major public health
concern. There is dearth of information on the rural-urban disparity in
hypertension among women in Ghana. Therefore, this study aimed at examining the
rural-urban variation in hypertension among women in Ghana.MethodsWe extracted data from the women’s file of
the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The sample included 9333 women
aged 15–49 with complete data on hypertension. The analysis was done using
Pearson Chi-square and binary logistic regression at 95% confidence interval.
The results of the binary logistic regression were presented as Odds Ratios
(ORs) and Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsHypertension prevalence among urban and
rural residents were 9.5% and 5.1% respectively. Rural women had lower odds of
hypertension [OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.52, 0.67] compared to urban women, however,
this was insignificant in the adjusted model [aOR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.70, 1.00].
The propensity to be hypertensive was lower for women aged 15–19 [aOR = 0.07;
95% CI = 0.05, 0.11]. The poorest were less likely to be hypertensive
[aOR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.45, 0.89]. Single women were also less probable to have
hypertension [aOR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.46, 0.97].Conclusions
Women from urban and rural areas shed
similar chance to be hypertensive in Ghana. Therefore, the health sector needs
to target women from both areas of residence (rural/urban) when designing their
programmes that are intended to modify women’s lifestyle in order to reduce
their risks of hypertension. Other categories of women that need to be
prioritised to avert hypertension are those who are heading towards the end of
their reproductive age, richest women and the divorced.
KW - DHS
KW - Ghana
KW - Hypertension
KW - Rural
KW - Urban
KW - Women
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119861979&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-021-12204-7
DO - 10.1186/s12889-021-12204-7
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
C2 - 34819048
AN - SCOPUS:85119861979
VL - 21
JO - BMC International Health and Human Rights
JF - BMC International Health and Human Rights
M1 - 2150
ER -
