Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among Ngawa Tibetans in China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rate of hypertension and analyse the potential social environment factors among Ngawa Tibetans in China. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: The investigation based on a multistage stratified cluster sampling was conducted in the Ngawa area, Sichuan Province, Southwest China. Tibetan residents were selected by random sampling method from one city and six counties in Ngawa. METHODS: Basic demographical information, physical activity and blood pressure were collected. In addition, the participants completed the questionnaire. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rate of hypertension and the potential risk factors. PARTICIPANTS: The sample comprised 2228 Ngawa Tibetan residents (age 18–80 years) from September 2018 to June 2019. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of hypertension was 24.6%. The control rate was 6.2%, while the awareness rate (32.3%) and treatment rate (21.7%) of hypertension had been significantly improved. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension among Ngawa Tibetans was high. The awareness and treatment were improved in recent years. But the control rate was low. The government needs to strengthen the basic medical care and health education for Ngawa Tibetans.