Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Factors in Ghana: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
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Updated: Jul 2, 2025
Hydra, a Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Cardiovascular Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: September 26, 2018
Alfred Doku1,2,3, Lawrence Sena Tuglo4,5, Vincent Boima1,2
1Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.
Insights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is prevalent in Ghana, affecting 10.34% of the population. Key risk factors include male gender, old age, unemployment, diabetes, and hypertension, necessitating urgent public health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a significant global health challenge, contributing to disability and mortality.
- Data on CVD prevalence in West Africa, specifically Ghana, are limited, highlighting a critical knowledge gap.
- This study aimed to synthesize existing evidence to determine the pooled prevalence of CVD and associated risk factors in Ghana.
Approach:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across major electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Africa Journal Online) up to February 10, 2023.
- Included studies were published in English and reported on CVD prevalence or occurrence in Ghana.
- Meta-analysis techniques, including random-effects modeling, were employed to calculate pooled prevalence and odds ratios for risk factors.
Key Points:
- The meta-analysis included 16 studies encompassing 58,912 participants, with data spanning from 1954 to 2022.
- The pooled prevalence of CVD in Ghana was found to be 10.34%, with higher rates observed in hospital-based (10.74%) compared to community-based (5.04%) settings.
- Identified risk factors for CVD in Ghana included male gender, older age, unemployment, diabetes, and hypertension.
Conclusions:
- The findings indicate a substantial burden of cardiovascular disease in Ghana.
- Urgent and targeted interventions are crucial for the effective prevention and management of CVD and its risk factors within the Ghanaian population.
Background:
The increasing cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden threatens the global population as the major cause of disability and premature death. Data are scarce on the magnitude of CVD among the population in West Africa, particularly in Ghana. This study examined the available scientific evidence to determine the pooled prevalence (PP) of CVD and risk factors in Ghana.
Methods:
We searched electronic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct and Africa Journal Online databases to identify literature published from the start of the indexing of the database to 10th February 2023. All articles published in the English language that assessed the prevalence of CVD or reported on CVD in Ghana were included. Two authors independently performed the study selection, assessed the risk of bias, extracted the data and checked by the third author. The effect sizes and pooled odds ratio (POR) were determined using the random-effects DerSimonian-Laird (DL) model.
Result:
Sixteen studies with 58912 participants from 1954 to 2022 were included in the meta-analysis. Six studies out of 16 reported more than one prevalence of CVD, giving a total of 59 estimates for PP. The PP of CVD in the general population in Ghana was 10.34% (95% Cl: [8.48, 12.20]; l2 99.54%, p < 0.001). Based on the subgroup analysis, the prevalence of CVD was higher in hospital-based settings at 10.74% (95%, confidence interval [Cl]: 8.69, 12.79) than in community-based settings at 5.04% (95% Cl: 2.54, 7.53). The risk factors were male gender (pooled odds ratio [POR]: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.70), old age (POR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.45), unemployment (POR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.33, 5.16), diabetes (POR: 2.79; 95% CI: 1.62, 4.81) and hypertension (POR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.75, 6.66).
Conclusion:
The prevalence of CVD was high in Ghana. Urgent interventions are needed for the prevention and management of the high burden of CVD and its risk factors.
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