Modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults in southern Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

6^th International Conference on Cardiovascular Diseases & Therapeutics

August 07-08, 2023 | Webinar

Wondimagegn Paulos

Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Cardiovasc Dis Diagn

Abstract :

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) continue to be the major public health challenge. The magnitude of CVD accountable to modifiable risk factors such as high blood glucose, high systolic blood pressure, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and obesity is rising. There is scarcity of evidence on the prevalence, magnitude, and factors associated with the number of major modifiable CVD risk factors. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with the number of modifiable cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors. We conducted a population-based survey in Wolaita, southern Ethiopia in 2018 using a three-stage random sampling technique. We used a multilevel Poisson regression to analyze the association of explanatory variables with the number of modifiable CVD risk factors. The numbers of participants having ≥1, ≥2 and ≥3 major modifiable CVD risk factors in the study area were 2013, 1201 and 576 with a weighted prevalence of 75.8%, 42.3% and 19.4%, respectively. In general, there were 28 different combinations of major modifiable CVD risk factor co-occurrences. The combination of physical inactivity with low HDL-C was found in 19.7% of the study participants, followed by physical inactivity with hypertension of 17.8%. Urban residence, male gender, sugar-sweetened food consumption and older age had a positive association with the number of major modifiable CVD risk factors, while being a farmer had a negative association. The prevalence and magnitude of major modifiable CVD risk factors in the study area were high. The components of the most prevalent combinations of major modifiable CVD risk factors should be targeted. Therefore, public health measures against major modifiable CVD risk factors such as promotion of physical exercise and reduction of sugar-sweetened food consumption have to be taken, targeting the vulnerable groups such as urban residents and older age.

Biography :

I am an epidemiologist with a Ph.D. from a joint program at the University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, and Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia. I am also a researcher on cardiovascular risk factors with a special focus on diet, nutrition, trauma, environmental health, and malaria.