Abstract:
Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in Ghana.
This study examines the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension
among Ghanaian aged 15–49 years. This cross-sectional study retrieved data from the
2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). The sample, comprising of 13,247
respondents aged 15–49 years, was analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square tests,
independent sample t-tests and binary logistic regressions. The overall prevalence of hypertension
was 13.0% (12.1% for males and 13.4% for females). Among respondents who had
hypertension, 45.6% were aware of their hypertension status; 40.5% were treating the condition
while 23.8% had their blood pressure controlled (BP <140/90 mmHg). Socio-economic
and demographic factors, health insurance coverage and recent visit to health
facilities played significant roles in hypertension prevalence and awareness. While region of
residence and health facility visits were predictors of hypertension treatment, age and region
of residence predicted hypertension control in this population. This study suggests that in
order to address the increasing burden of hypertension in Ghana, there should be an expansion
of the National Health Insurance Scheme and development of measures to reduce
health inequities. Also, some of the determining factors such as age, gender, marital status
are similar to other cultures; therefore, existing interventions from those cultures could be
adapted in addressing hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in
Ghana.
