Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Japanese rural communities]

BACKGROUND: In Japan, a national survey indicated that only 7% of hypertensive patients had a blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg. There have been no reports of studies investigating all of the prevalence of hypertension, the percentage of subjects who are aware of hypertension, the percentage being treated, and the percentage that are well-controlled (awareness, treatment and control, respectively) among hypertensives in the Japanese general population. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of hypertension, and awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among hypertensives in a Japanese rural population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis of base-line data of the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. SETTING: Twelve rural communities is 8 prefectures in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling people who participated in the health examination program in 1992-1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure (BP) measured once in the sitting position after a 5-minute rest using oscillometric automatic BP monitors (BP203RV-II; Nippon Colin, Japan), and history of hypertension assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 11,302 subjects (4,415 men and 6,887 women). The mean (standard deviation) age was 55(12) years for men and 55(11) years for women. Mean systolic BP and diastolic BP levels were, respectively, 131(21) mmHg and 79(12) mmHg for men and 128(21) mmHg and 76(12) mmHg for women. Prevalence of hypertension (systolic BP > or = 140 mmHg or diastolic BP > or = 90 mmHg or on antihypertensive medication) was 37% for men and 33% for women. Percentages for awareness (on medication or present past history), treatment and control (both systolic BP < 140 mmHg and diastolic BP < 90 mmHg) were, respectively, 39%, 27% and 10% for men and 46%, 38% and 13% for women. CONCLUSIONS: About one third of the study popUlation were hypertensive, and awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among the hypertensives were 43%, 34% and 12%, respectively. Less than half of the hypertensives were well-controlled even when measurement bias was considered. In the rural Japanese population, improvements are required with regard to awareness, treatment and control of hypertension.     

Financial cost as an obstacle to hypertension therapy.

A home health interview, including blood pressure measurements, was conducted on 4,688 adults representing the noninstitutionalized population of Georgia. Subjects with diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg or on antihypertensive medication were considered hypertensive. The prevalence of uncontrolled moderate or severe hypertension (diastolic greater than or equal to 105 mm Hg) was 1.9 per cent. With the exception of White women, all race-sex groups with uncontrolled moderate or severe hypertension reported substantially lower per capita income than their mild or controlled hypertensive counterparts. A larger percentage of the uncontrolled moderate to severe hypertensives on medication, as compared to their mild or controlled counterparts, reported economic barriers to pharmacologic and medical care on cost of medicines (36 per cent vs 22 per cent); refills (36 per cent vs 16 per cent); and office visits (26 per cent vs 16 per cent). Black women reported these barriers more than Whites. These findings suggest that costs of antihypertensive care may be an obstacle in blood pressure control for certain population subgroups.     

Prevalence,awareness, treatment,and control of hypertension in the inner city

This article reports on the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in a predominantly black population residing in the inner city of Detroit, Michigan. The data reported come from a cross-sectional survey of approximately 800 adults conducted in the fall of 1978. The prevalence of hypertension in the population studied, 38%, was similar for men and women below age 55; above age 55, women were more likely to have high blood pressure than men. Hypertension was positively related to the respondent's age and weight, but was not associated with having a family history of hypertension, or with the amount of cigarettes smoked daily. Compared with estimates of awareness, treatment, and control status of hypertensives derived from community surveys conducted in the 1960s, our findings indicate substantial improvement in hypertension management among a predominately black, urban population during the past decade. Of the hypertensives identified in our sample, 80% were aware of their hypertension before participation in the survey, 86% of those previously detected were being treated for their hypertension, and 26% of those being treated were adequately controlled (BP < 140/90 mm Hg). Awareness, treatment, and control rates appear to be age-related, with younger respondents less likely to be aware of their hypertension, on antihypertensive therapy, and successfully controlled. Below age 54, women were much more likely to be aware of their hypertension condition than men. Because of the lower detection rates among younger age groups it is recommended that future blood pressure screening efforts in the inner city be directed at younger adults (between the ages of 18 to 44), especially men.     

The prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension in Laval, Quebec, 1986

The prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension were assessed in a representative sample (n = 1,374) of the Laval population (aged 30-69 years). The study was designed to identify people at increased risk for cardiovascular disease because of elevated blood pressure levels rather than to establish a strict clinical prevalence. Defining hypertension as systolic pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic pressure greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg and/or on anti-hypertensive medication, the study found a prevalence of 25% (32% in men, 19% in women). Two thirds (67%) of the male hypertensives and 41% of the female hypertensives were previously unaware of their condition. One in three hypertensives were on medication, and less than half of these were under control. As observed in other studies, control was better in women. The study suggests the continuing need for high blood pressure education and detection in the Laval population, particularly among men.     

Three-year incidence of hypertension in thirteen U.S. communities: On behalf of the hypertension detection and follow-up program cooperative group

In 1973–1974, the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program (HDFP) conducted a two-stage screening (home, clinic) for high blood pressure in fourteen communities. A similar two-stage screening was repeated in 1976–1977 for a stratified probability sample of those persons whose blood pressures were not definitely elevated at the 1973–1974 survey. This sample included: normotensives (not on antihypertensive medication), labile hypertensives (hypertensive at home visit but normotensive at the subsequent clinic visit) and controlled hypertensives (on medication with DBP less than 95 mm Hg at home screen). Of this sample, 86.1% were reexamined. A hypertensive in 1976–1977 was defined as an individual having DBP 95 mm Hg or greater or receiving physician-prescribed antihypertensive medication. The three-year incidence rate of hypertension was estimated to be 11.8% after one stage (home) screening and 9.0% after a two-stage (home and clinic) screening, with a black/white ratio > 2. Black men had higher rates than black women, but white women had higher rates than white men. The three-year incidence of hypertension was directly related to the initial blood pressure level. More than 51% of the new hypertensives were receiving treatment at the time of rescreening, and almost 90% of those treated were under control (DBP < 95 mm Hg). Among individuals under treatment in 1973–1974, 81.2% were still on treatment three years later. Of those who discontinued treatment prior to the 1976–1977 rescreening, blacks had higher blood pressure levels than whites.     

African American women and men at high and low risk for hypertension: a signal detection analysis of NHANES III, 1988-1994

BACKGROUND: African Americans have some of the highest rates of hypertension in the world. This study identified subgroups of U.S. African American women and men with particularly high and low rates of hypertension. METHODS: Data are presented for 1,911 Black women and 1,657 Black men, ages 25-84 from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Signal detection methodology identified high and low risk subgroups; stratified analyses characterized the population of hypertensives. RESULTS: We identified 12 distinct subgroups with highly variable rates of hypertension (11-78%). The two groups with the highest rates of hypertension (>70% hypertensive) were more likely to be middle aged or older, less educated, overweight or obese (>80%), physically inactive (50%), and to have diabetes (28 and 100% diabetic). The two groups with the lowest hypertension rates (<18% hypertensive) were more likely to be younger, but were also overweight or obese (>50%). Among hypertensives, those who were uncontrolled and not on antihypertensive medications were distinguished by their male gender, younger age, and infrequent contact with a physician. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension rates vary substantially within African Americans, illustrating the need for effective weight management, diabetes control, and increased access to health care for those at highest risk.     

Prevalence and control of hypertension in a large cohort of occupationally-active Israelis examined during 1985-1987: the Cordis Study.

In view of the many changes in the approach to the detection and management of hypertension that have occurred, the paucity of current data on this subject in Israel limits the possibilities of making international comparisons or evaluating trends. This study contributes recent information on the occupationally-active population. Between 1985 and 1987, blood pressures were measured and interview data obtained on awareness and treatment of hypertension in a sample of 3677 male and 1573 female employees in 21 Israeli industries, examined in the CORDIS Study. In the age group 35-64 years, the age-standardized prevalence of hypertension (greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg or treated) using the same standard population as the WHO MONICA Study was 17.1% for men and 16.1% for women. The prevalence for men was somewhat below the median country compared with the MONICA centres, whereas for women it was closer to the median. Marked ethnic differences were evident, with those of Western origin having the highest prevalence, and those of Asian origin, the lowest. Of the hypertensives, 35.6% of the men and 33.3% of the women were unaware of their condition. Among men aware, 82.8% were receiving treatment and 59.8% of them were under control; the corresponding percentages for women were 86.2% and 72.8%. Older people were more likely to be aware of their hypertension and receiving treatment. Beta-blockers and diuretics were the predominant drugs of choice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Screening for hypertension in a middle-aged population in Southwest Finland

The occurrence and treatment of hypertension were investigated and the benefit of screening for hypertension was evaluated in a middle-aged population in two rural districts in southwest Finland. A total of 1223 (93.2%) of the women and 1042 (93.1%) of the men, 40–64 years of age, participated in the hypertension screening program. With the criterion of ? 105 mm Hg, the prevalence of hypertension based on three separate measurements was 12.5 and 8.4% for the women and men, respectively, when those already being treated were included. If in the present study a single blood pressure reading had been considered sufficient, the prevalence of “hypertension” would have been almost twofold (20.4%) that based on three measurements for women and it would have been more than twofold for men (21.4%). Seventy-three percent of the female hypertensives and 59% of the male hypertensives were being treated. Only 10% of the female and 15% of the male hypertensives were unaware of their hypertension. The majority (75%) of these persons had consulted a doctor or a nurse during the previous year without their hypertension being detected. Because the majority of the hypertensives were already being treated and, moreover, most of those untreated were already aware of their disease, a systematic screening of the rural middle-aged population in southwest Finland is not considered necessary, especially since community plans for health care services in Finland should double the contact between the physicians in the community health centers and the residents during the next few years.     

Changing trends in hypertension detection and control: the Chicago experience.

Of 177,692 persons screened in 1977 as part of an ongoing City-Wide Hypertension Screening Program in Chicago, 14,988 (8.4%) had diastolic blood pressure (BP) greater than or equal to 95 mm Hg as compared to 13.2% of a similar population in 1976. Only 7% (3,910) of the hypertensive population (diastolic BP greater than or equal to 95 mm Hg or presently on antipressor drugs) had previously undetected hypertension in contrast to 11.9% (4,184) the year before and 48.7% in the same community in 1972. Conversely, 73.2% (40,738) had adequately controlled blood pressure as contrasted to 59.3% (20,897) the previous year and 20.6% in 1972. Of the remaining hypertensives, 7.5% (4,201) were known but not treated and 12.3% (6,824) were under treatment but not controlled in contrast to 12.1% (4,251) and 16.8% (5,905) respectively the year before. This upward trend in controlled hypertension was present in all strata of the population.     

A survey of blood pressure in the state of Maryland

To provide baseline data for a state program to coordinate hypertension resources, a blood pressure (BP) survey was undertaken in Maryland in 1978. A statewide probability sample of households was chosen; each adult member was eligible for interview and measurement of BP. A total of 6,425 adults were interviewed for an overall response rate of 79.5%. Using a definition of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 95 mm Hg or higher or use of antihypertensive medication, 15.1% of state residents were estimated to be hypertensive. Of these, 85.8% were estimated to be aware of their condition, 77.6% of them were treated, and 67.6% had their BP controlled to a normal level by medication. Data are also presented using DBP 90 mm Hg or higher. A comparison of data from the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program (HDFP) home screen in 1973–1974 and comparable information from this survey showed lower rates of awareness, treatment, and BP control in hypertensives at HDFP home screen. Results of this survey will be compared with those of a second statewide survey conducted four years later to assess changes in rates of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control.     

Screening for hypertension: results of the Munich Blood Pressure Program

The Munich Blood Pressure Program (MBP) is a community hypertension control program for the metropolitan area of Munich. It tries to improve "incidental screening" in doctors' offices in the city through continuing education programs for physicians and auxiliary personnel and, in addition, emphasizes worksite screening to bring high-risk hard-to-reach groups under treatment and control. Blood pressure (BP) is measured at the worksite under standardized conditions. Those with values greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic BP and/or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg diastolic BP at the first visit have BPs measured again within 1-5 days. If their BP values are still elevated, they are referred to their family physicians for further assessment. At the same time, they are given a postage-paid card on which their doctors are asked to note the BP value measured in their offices. This postcard is returned to the MBP for evaluation. A computer-based reminder system informs all MBP participants at certain time intervals to have their BP checked. The text of the letters and the time interval between them depend on the most recent BP and treatment status data available to the MBP. In 1983, screenings were performed in seven firms. Participation rates of up to 57% were achieved for this entirely voluntary examination (3,948 participants). Age- and sex-specific prevalence rates (for the pooled data of the seven firms) were similar to those of a random sample of the Munich population (Munich Blood Pressure Study I). Seventy-four percent of those with elevated BP at first visit participated in the remeasurement at a second visit. Only 58% of these showed elevated BP values the second time. More than half (n = 101) of those second-visit hypertensives (greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg; n = 183) returned at least one completed postcard. The examining physician confirmed the hypertensive BP values in 60 of those cases. Of the 101, 57 were under treatment, 19 controlled and 38 uncontrolled. The follow-up period considered here lasted until May 1984 and varied from 5 to 15 months according to the date of screening in the respective firm. Only the first returned card has been evaluated thus far.     

Rural and urban differences in blood pressure and hypertension in Ghana, West Africa

BACKGROUND: Hypertension, once rare in traditional African societies, is rapidly becoming a major public health problem. OBJECTIVE: To assess urban and rural differences in blood pressure (BP) and hypertension, and to determine factors associated with BP in this sub-Saharan Africa population. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Ashanti region of Ghana, West Africa. PARTICIPANTS: There were 1431 participants (644 males and 787 females). Of these, 578 were from the rural setting (237 males and 341 females) and 853 from the urban setting (407 males and 446 females). RESULTS: Age-adjusted mean systolic and diastolic BP levels were lower in rural men than in urban men (129/75 versus 133/78, P<0.001). The mean systolic and diastolic BP levels were also lower in rural women than in urban women (126/76 versus 131/80, P<0.001). After adjustments for age, the odds ratios (95% CI) for being hypertensive were 1.9 (1.3-2.9; P<0.01) for urban men and 1.9 (1.3-2.8; P<0.0001) for urban women. Urban women were more likely than rural women to be aware of their hypertensive condition (odds ratio 2.3, 95% CI, 1.2-4.2; P<0.001). Treatment and control of hypertension did not differ between the groups in either men or women. In multiple linear regression analysis, age, urban dwelling, BMI and heart rate were independently associated with systolic and diastolic BP in both men and women. Smoking and alcohol consumption were independently associated with systolic and diastolic BP but only in men. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrate that high BP (hypertension) is an important public health burden in both urban and rural settings in this sub-Saharan African population. Cost-effective public health measures are urgently needed to prevent high BP from becoming another public health burden.     

The health status and characteristics of hypertensives in Guam

Studies of Asian Pacific American populations are often flawed because while the population is quite heterogeneous, researchers usually collapse them into a single category, making it impossible to assess the health status or needs of individual Asian Pacific American ethnic groups. Using a probability sample of Guam residents, the analysis reported here addresses the problem by documenting the health status and characteristics of Chamorro and Filipino hypertensives. In contrast to predictions from the literature, Chamorros have a higher prevalence of hypertension than Filipinos. Additional results show that hypertensive Chamorro men and women are from lower socioeconomic status levels than their Filipino counterparts, while hypertensive men and women of both ethnic groups appear equally likely to be overweight and to suffer diabetes. Male hypertensives are at greater risk for psychological distress than normotensives, and have a greater chance of heart failure. Compared to Filipinos, hypertensive Chamorros are more likely to evaluate their overall physical health as poor.     

Work-health relationships in middle-aged and elderly residents of a Jerusalem community.

Work-health relationships were examined cross-sectionally in 1886 men and women aged greater than or equal to 50 years in Jerusalem in 1985-1987, in the third round of a multipurpose longitudinal community health study. The main occupational variables were employment status, reasons for not working, and satisfaction with work. Sex and age were controlled in all comparisons. Workers were clearly healthier than nonworkers with respect to general, physical and emotional health, and people who had given up work were less healthy than those still working, whether they had stopped for health reasons, only because of their age, or only for extrinsic reasons (retrenchment or dismissal). Workers who expressed satisfaction with their work were healthier than others, the odds ratio in favour of good general health being 2.4 at 50-64 and 2.5 at greater than or equal to 65 years of age. The associations between job satisfaction and health remained apparent when education and origin were controlled. Multivariate analyses suggested that the associations were not spurious ones attributable to proneness to report both dissatisfaction and ill-health. Job dissatisfaction was not significantly associated with angina pectoris, possible myocardial infarction, or hypertension. Taken at their face value, the findings support the impact of job satisfaction or its determinants on the health of middle-aged and elderly men and women. The associations will be re-appraised in the longitudinal analysis of the study data.     

The Edgecombe County (NC) High Blood Pressure Control Program: II. Barriers to the use of medical care among hypertensives

As the initial step in a five-year project to improve control of high blood pressure in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, a survey was conducted in 1980 to determine the prevalence of hypertension and to identify factors which might constitute barriers to the use of medical care by hypertensives. This report summarizes the findings for the 539 hypertensives identified through the baseline survey. In general, Black hypertensives reported more access problems than Whites. Within race, however, males and females differed very little on selected measures of potential access to medical care. Among women, lower scores on potential access were strongly associated with being untreated, whereas for men, concerns about the safety of anti-hypertensive drug therapy were associated with being unaware. On a summary measure of the actual use of medical care in response to symptoms, both male and female treated hypertensives scored higher than their untreated counterparts. The implications of these and other findings for community-based blood pressure control activities are discussed.     

Treated hypertensives with good medication compliance are still in a state of uncontrolled blood pressure in the Japanese elderly

Objectives Blood pressure (BP) is poorly controlled in many countries. Poor compliance was suggested as the main cause for poor BP control. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between compliance and the control of both casual blood pressure (BP) and 24-hr ambulatory BP in a Japanese elderly population. Methods The study was a cross-sectional survey. Casual BP and 24-hr ambulatory BP were measured at home. Hypertension was defined as casual systolic BP (SBP)≧140 and/or diastolic BP (DBP)≧90 mmHg, or as treated hypertension. A compliance rate of greater than 80% by the pill count method was defined as good compliance. Results Of the 178 treated hypertensives, 82.6% showed good compliance. Between the treated hypertensives with good compliance and those with poor compliance, no significant difference was found in either casual BP or ambulatory BP. Of the treated hypertensives with good compliance, the prevalence of achieved target ambulatory BP, i.e., daytime BP<135/85 mmHg, nighttime BP<120/75 mmHg, and 24-hr BP<125/80 mmHg, was, respectively, 35.4%, 43.5%, and 20.4%. Conclusions Casual BP and 24-hr ambulatory BP were poorly controlled in the community-living elderly although many of the treated hypertensives showed good compliance. It is unlikely that this inadequate control of hypertension is due to poor compliance on the part of the subjects.     

社区高血压及营养KAP健康教育效果分析

目的 评价高血压及营养健教对社区高血压人群的干预效果。方法 在上海某社区随机抽取370名年龄为35-75岁高血压病人作为高血压及营养知识。态度及行为（KAP）调查的基线人群,其中干预组176人,对照组194人。结果 经一年的社区干预后,对两组人群进行高血压及营养知识,态度及行为复查,干预组对营养知识的掌握优于对照组;干预组对中国居民膳食指南的知晓率在干预后也明显提高;在改善不良膳食行为方面,干预组行为改善率高于对照组,两组相比有显著性差异。结论 社区高血压及营养知识健康教育对高血压人群提高高血压及营养知识水平是有效的和可行的。     

中国成年人高血压患病率、知晓率、治疗和控制状况

目的　评估中国成年人高血压的患病率、高血压知晓率、治疗和控制状况。方法　亚洲国际心血管病合作研究 (InterASIA)于 2 0 0 0～ 2 0 0 1年进行 ,应用多阶段抽样方法选择有代表性的样本。共调查了 35～ 74岁的成年人 15 838人。测量血压时 ,先让调查对象休息 5min ,由经过培训合格的调查人员应用标准水银柱血压计测量 3次血压。应用标准问卷询问高血压病史及高血压的治疗情况。高血压定义为收缩压≥ 140mmHg、舒张压≥ 90mmHg或正在服用降压药。结果　 35～ 74岁的中国成年人的高血压患病率为 2 7 2 %,即全国约有 1 3亿高血压患者。 35～ 44、45～ 5 4、5 5～ 6 4和 6 5～ 74岁年龄组的高血压患病专率分别为男性 17 4%、 2 8 2 %、 40 7%和 47 3 %;女性为 10 7%、2 6 8%、38 9%和 5 0 2 %。在高血压病人中 ,44 7%知道自己患有高血压 ,2 8 2 %正在服用降压药 ,8 1%的人血压得到了控制 ( <140 / 90mmHg)。在过去 10年中 ,高血压知晓、治疗和控制率的增长百分率分别为 86 2 %、92 6 %和 145 4%。结论　在过去的 10年中 ,高血压知晓、治疗和控制率有显著的提高。中国成年人高血压的患病率比较高 ,而高血压的知晓率偏低 ,治疗率和控制率又非常低。在我国迫切需要改善高血压的预防、检测和治疗状况     

Hypertension control in a rural biracial community: successes and failures of primary care.

Through a total community survey and a medical record review, we examined hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in a biracial rural community rich in primary care resources. The overall prevalence of hypertension among the 2,939 respondents was 20.5 per cent; 82 per cent of hypertensives were aware of their condition; 68 per cent were on treatment; and 55 per cent were under control. Comparison of data sources revealed discrepancies and misconceptions about diagnosis and treatment. Nearly one-third of the population reported a history of hypertension despite the fact that most of them were untreated and were normotensive. Conversely, one-third of "undetected" hypertensives had notation of the diagnosis in their medical records. Discontinuation of treatment accounted for over one-half of aware but untreated hypertension. Misconceptions about therapy contributed to failures of control in the treated group. These findings suggest that difficulties in the transmission of information about hypertension contribute importantly to failures of control.     

Prevalence, detection, and control of hypertension in a biethnic community. The San Antonio Heart Study

A survey was carried out on a random sample of 1,288 Mexican Americans and 929 Anglos living in three socially distinct neighborhoods in San Antonio, Texas. Hypertension was defined as diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 95 mmHg or currently taking antihypertensive medication. Overall age-adjusted prevalence rates of hypertension were similar for Mexican-American and Anglo men (10.0 and 9.8%, respectively); for women, the Mexican-American rate was slightly lower than that for Anglos (7.8 and 9.7%, respectively). After adjustment for obesity differences, Mexican Americans have a tendency toward lower hypertension rates than Anglos of the same socioeconomic level. Only among women was a decline in the prevalence of hypertension with increasing socioeconomic status observed. Mexican Americans have a higher proportion of newly diagnosed hypertension, and, among previously diagnosed cases, a lower proportion are on antihypertensive medication than Anglos. The rates of hypertension control found in this survey are among the highest reported in the United States at the community level. Despite this, Mexican Americans still lag somewhat behind Anglos of the same socioeconomic level in awareness, treatment, and degree of hypertension control, suggesting the possibility of sociocultural barriers to adequate medical care.