This study has tried to assess the prevalence and associated factors of pre hypertension among adults visiting the Outpatient department at Mizan Tepi university teaching hospital. Accordingly the prevalence of pre hypertension found to be 30.7%, (95% CI; 26.0–35.0). The prevalence found in this study is lower than the prevalence reported from Tanzania 37.2 (95% CI 34.0–40.6) (3). This variation could be due to age category of target population, setting and sample size. This study was conducted in health facilities, but study conducted in Tanzania was community based. Similarly, participants involved is this finding were lower than participants involved in the Tanzania. Similarly study conducted in Uganda on prevalence of pre hypertension is 33.9%, which is greater than the current finding (20). The possible explanation for this discrepancy might be due to sample size difference, study setting and socio demographic differences. Study done in Uganda were involving large sample size by using survey.
The current study finding is nearly similar with study conducted in Zhengzhou, middle China, which is the prevalence of pre Hypertension was 30.3% (25). The possible explanation for this similarity might be due to tool used, study setting and variable considered.
In comparison with study conducted in Brazil 20.6% (26), the prevalence is higher. The possible explanation for this discrepancy might be due to sample size difference, study setting and socio demographic differences. In addition study conducted in Brazil solely involves women, while the current study involves both male and women.
In this study, among adults visiting the Outpatient department at Mizan Tepi university teaching hospital found in age between 35–44 was 1 times more likely to experience pre hypertension than those found age category of 14–24. This is supported by study conducted in Uganda (20), Bangladesh (27), and Indonesia (28). This might be explained by as age increase blood pressure become elevated due reduced elasticity vasculature, increased viscosity of blood, due to aging process, atherosclerotic changes occur in the blood vessels which in combination with other factors may contribute to this. In order to avert this problem regular physical exercise, weight loss and using DASH food is recommended. In the contrary age had no significant association with prehypertension in study conducted in Southern Tanzania (29).
In the current finding, adults visiting the outpatient department at Mizan Tepi university teaching hospital attending secondary education were 68% less likely to had pre hypertension compared to those unable to write and read. This finding is harmony with study done in Ghana (19). Obviously, education has positive impact on the prevention of prehypertension. Lack of awareness regarding the risk factors for developing hypertension and inadequate knowledge about appropriate preventive measures could lead to delay in diagnosis and inadequate control of blood pressure. However, study done in Uganda (20), Brazil (26) and Indonesia (28) did not show a significant association between educational status and prehypertension.
This study demonstrates an association between prehypertension and lack of physical exercise. Based on these finding adults visiting the outpatient department in the study area performing low physical exercise per week were one times more likely to had prehypertension than who doing high physical exercise per week. Similarly, study conducted in Ghana supported these findings. It is clear that regular physical exercise by itself reduces individual body weight, reduces blood pressure level, and boosts protective high density lipoprotein level in the blood. Unlike the current finding, research work in Brazil (26) and Indonesia (28) did not show a significant association between physical exercise and prehypertension.
On other hand in current finding those participants, being obese was 4 times more likely to experience pre hypertension as compared to underweight. This is supported by study conducted in Bangladesh (27), Uganda (20) and Indonesia (28). This might be due to obese individuals heave more cholesterol in their body which have high tendency to form plaque in the vasculature and hindering laminar blood flow by doing so increase blood pressure. In the contrary BMI had no significant association with prehypertension in study conducted in Malaysia (30).
Standardized tools which were tested for their measurements according were employed to assess prehypertension. Those study participants had prehypertension were linked with health facility to got needed treatment.
This study is not free from limitations, recall and social desirability bias could be one of the limitations of the study. Furthermore, though intensive training, regular supervision and measurement standardization the study was not free from measurement error.