Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors among slum residents in Mbarara City, Uganda, 2024
7 affiliations
- 1Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Physiology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- 2Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
- 3Department of Physiology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- 4Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
- 5Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- 6Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) Country Office, Kampala, Uganda
- 7Disease Dynamics Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cambridge Veterinary School, Cambridge, UK; IDEMU Mathematical Modelling Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
Abstract
Introduction: Hypertension, a primary cause of cardiovascular diseases and premature death, is highly prevalent in urban slums due to poverty, limited healthcare access, and unhealthy lifestyles. Data on hypertension from Ugandan slums remain limited. We estimated the prevalence of hypertension and examined associated factors among adult slum residents in Mbarara City, southwestern Uganda. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in two densely populated slums during November–December 2024. Adults aged ≥18 years were selected using systematic random sampling. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using automated sphygmomanometers, and sociodemographic and lifestyle data were collected via structured questionnaires. Hypertension was classified per American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines: stage 1 for systolic BP 130-139 mmHg or diastolic BP 80-89 mmHg, and stage 2 for systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg. Multivariable modified Poisson regression identified factors associated with hypertension. Results: Of 411 participants, 64% (263/411; 95% CI: 59.2-68.5%) had hypertension, and among those classified as hypertensive, 32/263 (12.2%) reported a prior diagnosis. Prevalence was higher among adults aged 40-60 years (aPR: 1.29, 95% CI:1.11–1.50) and >60 years (aPR: 1.50, 95% CI:1.25–1.85) compared to those <40 years. Alcohol consumption (aPR: 1.23, 95% CI:1.06-1.42) and resting heart rate above 100 beats per minute (aPR: 1.36, 95% CI:1.15-1.60) were associated with higher hypertension prevalence, whereas regular vegetable intake was associated with lower prevalence (aPR: 0.78, 95% CI:0.65-0.94). Conclusion: Hypertension prevalence was high in Mbarara City slums, and few participants classified as hypertensive reported a prior diagnosis. Older age, alcohol consumption, and elevated resting heart rate were associated with higher hypertension prevalence, whereas weekly vegetable consumption was associated with lower prevalence. Public health strategies should strengthen hypertension detection, linkage to care, and evidence-based cardiovascular risk-reduction interventions in urban slum populations.
Related
- Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hypertension–Diabetes–Dyslipidemia Clustering Among Adults — Hainan Province, China, 2023
- Prevalence and factors associated with pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Prevalence of frailty and associated factors among aging residents with chronic schizophrenia in Taiwanese psychiatric nursing home: a cross-sectional study.
- Prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among medical residents at four hospitals in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study
- Global Prevalence of Adherence to Antihypertensives and Associated Moderating Factors Among Adults With Hypertension: A Meta‐Analysis
BibTeX
@article{migisha2026prevalence,
title = {{Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors among slum residents in Mbarara City, Uganda, 2024}},
author = {Richard Migisha and Charity Mutesi and Derrick Asiimwe and Aggrey Byaruhanga and Abraham Muhwezi and Prichard Denzel Kavuma and Sarah Achiro and Abel Wilson Walekhwa and Alex Riolexus Ario},
journal = {Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.37432/jieph-d-25-00180},
url = {https://doi.org/10.37432/jieph-d-25-00180},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors among slum residents in Mbarara City, Uganda, 2024
AU - Richard Migisha
AU - Charity Mutesi
AU - Derrick Asiimwe
AU - Aggrey Byaruhanga
AU - Abraham Muhwezi
AU - Prichard Denzel Kavuma
AU - Sarah Achiro
AU - Abel Wilson Walekhwa
AU - Alex Riolexus Ario
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health
DO - 10.37432/jieph-d-25-00180
UR - https://doi.org/10.37432/jieph-d-25-00180
AB - Introduction: Hypertension, a primary cause of cardiovascular diseases and premature death, is highly prevalent in urban slums due to poverty, limited healthcare access, and unhealthy lifestyles. Data on hypertension from Ugandan slums remain limited. We estimated the prevalence of hypertension and examined associated factors among adult slum residents in Mbarara City, southwestern Uganda. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in two densely populated slums during November–December 2024. Adults aged ≥18 years were selected using systematic random sampling. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using automated sphygmomanometers, and sociodemographic and lifestyle data were collected via structured questionnaires. Hypertension was classified per American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines: stage 1 for systolic BP 130-139 mmHg or diastolic BP 80-89 mmHg, and stage 2 for systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg. Multivariable modified Poisson regression identified factors associated with hypertension. Results: Of 411 participants, 64% (263/411; 95% CI: 59.2-68.5%) had hypertension, and among those classified as hypertensive, 32/263 (12.2%) reported a prior diagnosis. Prevalence was higher among adults aged 40-60 years (aPR: 1.29, 95% CI:1.11–1.50) and >60 years (aPR: 1.50, 95% CI:1.25–1.85) compared to those <40 years. Alcohol consumption (aPR: 1.23, 95% CI:1.06-1.42) and resting heart rate above 100 beats per minute (aPR: 1.36, 95% CI:1.15-1.60) were associated with higher hypertension prevalence, whereas regular vegetable intake was associated with lower prevalence (aPR: 0.78, 95% CI:0.65-0.94). Conclusion: Hypertension prevalence was high in Mbarara City slums, and few participants classified as hypertensive reported a prior diagnosis. Older age, alcohol consumption, and elevated resting heart rate were associated with higher hypertension prevalence, whereas weekly vegetable consumption was associated with lower prevalence. Public health strategies should strengthen hypertension detection, linkage to care, and evidence-based cardiovascular risk-reduction interventions in urban slum populations.
SN - 2664-2824
ER -