Stroke-Risk Factors Differ between Rural and Urban Communities: Population Survey in Central Uganda

Socioeconomic transition is changing stroke risk factors in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed stroke-risk factors and their associated characteristics in urban and rural Uganda.

We surveyed 5,420 urban and rural participants and assessed the stroke-risk factor prevalence and socio-behavioural characteristics associated with risk factors.

Rural participants were older with higher proportions of men and fewer poor compared to urban areas. The most prevalent modifiable stroke-risk factors in all areas were hypertension (27.1% rural and 22.4% urban, p = 0.004), overweight and obesity (22.0% rural and 42% urban, p < 0.0001), and elevated waist hip ratio (25.8% rural and 24.1% urban, p = 0.045). Diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol consumption were found in ≤5%. Age, family history of hypertension, and waist hip ratio were associated with hypertension in all, while BMI, HIV were associated with hypertension only in urban dwellers. Sex and family history of hypertension were associated with BMI in all, while age, socio-economic status and diabetes were associated with BMI only in urban dwellers.

The prevalence of stroke-risk factors of diabetes, smoking, inactivity and harmful alcohol consumption was rare in Uganda. Rural dwellers belonging to a higher age group tended to be with hypertension and elevated waist hip ratio. Unlike high-income countries, higher socioeconomic status was associated with overweight and obesity.