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- Houle, Brian, et al.
(author)
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Hypertension incidence among middle-aged and older adults : findings from a 5-year prospective study in rural South Africa, 2010-2015
- 2021
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In: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2044-6055. ; 11:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: There is a scarcity of longitudinal cohort studies in sub-Saharan Africa to understand the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease as a basis for intervention. We estimated incident hypertension and associated sociodemographic, health and behavioural risk factors in a population aged 40 years and older over a 5-year period.Design: We assessed the association between incident hypertension and sociodemographic, health and behavioural factors using Poisson regression. We adjusted for non-response in 2015 using inverse probability sampling weights from a logistic regression including sex and age at baseline.Setting: Rural South Africa.Participants: We used a population-based cohort of normotensive adults in 2010 who were aged 40 years and older at retest in 2015.Results: Of 676 individuals completing baseline and 5-year follow-up, there were 193 incident cases of hypertension. The overall hypertension incidence rate was 8.374/100 person-years. In multivariable analyses, those who became hypertensive were more likely to be older, have a high waist circumference (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.557, 95% CI: 1.074 to 2.259) and be employed (IRR: 1.579, 95% CI: 1.071 to 2.329) at baseline. Being HIV positive and not on antiretroviral therapy at baseline was associated with lower risk of incident hypertension.Conclusions: Over a 5-year period, 29% of respondents developed hypertension. Given the high burden of hypertension in South Africa, continued longitudinal follow-up is needed to understand the complex interplay of non-communicable and infectious diseases and their underlying and modifiable risk factors to inform public health prevention strategies and programmes.
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| 2. |
- Houle, Brian, et al.
(author)
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Sexual behavior and HIV risk across the life course in rural South Africa : trends and comparisons
- 2018
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In: AIDS Care. - : ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 0954-0121 .- 1360-0451. ; 30:11, s. 1435-1443
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is limited information about sexual behavior among older Africans, which is problematic given high HIV rates among older adults. We use a population-based survey among people aged 15-80+ to examine the prevalence of sexual risk and protective behaviors in the context of a severe HIV epidemic. We focus on variation across the life course, gender and HIV serostatus to compare the similarities and differences of young, middle aged, and older adults. Younger adults continue to be at risk of HIV, with potential partners being more likely to have been diagnosed with an STI and more likely to have HIV, partner change is high, and condom use is low. Middle aged and older adults engage in sexual behavior that makes them vulnerable at older ages, including extramarital sex, low condom use, and cross-generational sex with people in age groups with the highest rates of HIV. We find insignificant differences between HIV positive and negative adults' reports of recent sexual activity. This study provides new information on sexual behavior and HIV risk across the life course in rural South Africa to inform HIV prevention and treatment programing.
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