Noncommunicable Disease Conditions and HIV in Rural and Urban South Africa: 2005-2015

Hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes contribute primarily to noncommunicable disease deaths and together with human immunodeficiency virus contribute largely to mortality in South Africa. Our longitudinal study provides the necessary data and insights over a 10-year period to highlight the areas where improved management is required in urban and rural localities.

This study included 536 rural and 387 urban Black participants aged 32 to 93 years from the North-West province, South Africa. Disease prevalence, treatment, and control were determined in 2005 and were re-evaluated in 2015. Multiple measures analyses were used to determine the trends of blood pressure and waist circumference.

The initial prevalence of hypertension was 53.2%, obesity was 23.6%, hyperlipidemia was 5.1%, diabetes was 2.9%, and human immunodeficiency virus was 10.7% in 2005. By 2015, the rural population had higher rates of hypertension (63.7% versus 58.5%) and lower rates diabetes (4.3% versus 7.9%) and hyperlipidemia (6.6% versus 18.0%) with similar obesity rates (41.7% versus 42.4%). The average blood pressure levels of urban hypertensives decreased (P_trend<.001), whereas levels were maintained in the rural group (P_trend=.52). In both locations, treatment and control rates increased from 2005 to 2015 for all conditions (all ≥6.7%), except for diabetes in which a decrease in control was observed. Waist circumference increased (P_trend>.001) in both sex and locality groups over the 10-year period.

Although average blood pressure of urban hypertensive individuals decreased, urgent measures focused on early identification, treatment, and control of the respective conditions should be implemented to decrease the burden of noncommunicable diseases.