Prevalence and determinants of hypertension among women of childbearing age in Jordan

Abstract

Background: The burden of hypertension among women of childbearing age in Jordan is increasing, indicating the need to explore its prevalence and associated risk factors. Aim: To assess the prevalence and determinants of hypertension among women aged 18–49 years in Jordan. Methods: This study used secondary cross-sectional data on hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia from 2675 Jordanian and Syrian women aged 18–49 years from the 2019 WHO STEPS survey in Jordan. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 28, and univariate analysis was conducted to determine the associations between the variables. Results: Prevalence of hypertension among the study participants was 17% and women who had hypertension were also obese. Having hypertension was significantly associated with being married, having lower educational attainment and consuming high amounts of salt. Those who had hypertension were more likely to have a history of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The 17% prevalence of hypertension among the study participants, alongside obesity, indicates the need for weight management and lifestyle modification interventions to reduce the burden of hypertension among women of childbearing age in Jordan.