May Measurement Month 2018: blood pressure screening results in Cameroon

Hypertension is a global public health challenge, but awareness, treatment, and control rates remain low. May Measurement Month (MMM) creates a platform for awareness creation and opportunistic screening which can identify significant numbers with raised blood pressure (BP). We present results of the 2018 edition of MMM in Cameroon. A cross-sectional survey of self-selected volunteers aged ≥18 years was conducted in May 2018. The definition of hypertension and statistical analyses followed the standard protocol. Data were collected from 28 public (indoors and outdoors) and private locations which were assigned unique site identification numbers, over a 30-day period. Of the 8883 participants screened, 53.8% were male and the median age was 35 (interquartile range 21) years, and 30.0% reported not having a previous BP measurement. After imputation, 1867 (21.0%) were hypertensive, 645 (34.5%) were aware of their diagnosis, and 507 (27.2%) were on antihypertensive medication, among whom 242 (47.8%) had controlled BP. In linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, and the use of antihypertensive medication, systolic and diastolic BP were significantly higher in participants aware of their diagnosis, those on antihypertensive medication, and who reported alcohol intake of 1-3 times per month and, one or more times per week. Hypertension prevalence is the lowest, and awareness, treatments, and control rates the highest reported in epidemiological studies in Cameroon in the last two decades. Further surveys will be useful in evaluating the impact, if any, of the MMM campaign on the burden of hypertension in the Cameroon.