Exploring the factors for the poor control of hypertension among people of sub-Saharan African descent The case of Ghanaians

Background: Hypertension (HTN) disproportionately affects sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations. Adequate HTN control is crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Exploring the key factors that contribute to the poor control of HTN among SSA populations residing in different contexts is crucial for informing HTN interventions towards improving HTN control.
Methods: A mixed methods research design using both quantitative and qualitative tools.
Results: The research objectives are addressed in three parts. Part 1 documents the increasing HTN prevalence and poor control among Ghanaians living in Europe and in Ghana and shows how SSA HTN persons’ illness representations and coping strategies are developed and adapted in interactive phrases, which influence HTN control outcomes. Part 2 explores the role of social support for HTN control among SSA populations and highlights how these associations vary by gender. It concludes that rural communities’ HTN illness perceptions partly result from structural and social factors, which collectively shape social norms and influence individual health behaviour towards HTN treatment. Part 3 explores factors within the health policy and system spheres, which hinder access to and the implementation of non-communicable diseases policies in Africa.
Conclusion: The findings call for global and African governments’ commitment and resource investments in adopting, adapting and effectively implementing the World Health Organisations non-communicable disease (NCD) policy recommendations. There is also call for coordinated public health approaches that utilise multisectoral measures and harness social structures and networks to address socio-economic and cultural challenges that hinder adherence to HTN treatment.