Awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among adult population in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past decade

• Main Authors: Aida Pilav, Vildana Doder, Suada Branković
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2014-12-01
• Series: Journal of Public Health Research
• Subjects: blood pressure, hypertension awareness, hypertension control, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Online Access: http://www.jphres.org/index.php/jphres/article/view/323
• ISSN: 2279-9028; 2279-9036

<em>Background</em>. Many studies throughout the world show that hypertension is not effectively treated and controlled, which continued to pose an important challenge in health systems in the world. <br /><em>Design and methods</em>. Population surveys were carried out in 2002 and 2012 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBIH) on representative sample at the age of 25-64. The surveys used systematic stratified sample. Questionnaires and anthropometric measure protocols were adapted from internationally recommended surveys. <br /><em>Results</em>. In the past ten years there has been a slight increase in hypertension prevalence in researched population (41% <em>vs</em>. 42%). Percentage of hypertensive male and female respondents who are not aware of their hypertension actually dropped in the past decade from 54.3% to 51.4%. In 2002 total number of hypertensive respondents aware of their hypertension included 8.1% of male respondents and 10.3% female respondents whose condition was not treated and this rate effectively dropped during the 10-year period. Number of hypertensive, treated, and uncontrolled respondents dropped as reported in the 2012 survey; consequently percentage of hypertensive, treated, and controlled respondents in the 2012 survey increased, in particular in female population.<br /><em>Conclusions</em>. Investments in primary health care, improved availability, and improved quality of health care in the FBIH in the past 10 years can explain increased rate of hypertension detection and treatment; however, efforts should be continued to introduce hypertension screening programs and hypertension control programs.