International Journal of Epidemiology 2003;32:400-408
© International Epidemiological Association 2003
Special Theme: Socio-economic position |
Income, education, and blood pressure in adults in Jamaica, a middle-income developing country
1 Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
2 Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA.
3 Tropical Metabolism Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Jamaica.
Background At present, little is known about how socioeconomic status (SES) is related to blood pressure (BP) and hypertension in developing countries. This cross-sectional study examined associations between SES and BP in 2082 adults from a peri-urban area of Jamaica, a middle-income developing country.
Methods Hypertension (systolic BP 
140 mmHg, diastolic BP 90 mmHg or current hypertensive medication use) was estimated based on self-reported medication use and the mean of the second and third of three manual BP measurements. Income and education were self-reported. Linear or logistic regressions were used to estimate multivariate associations between BP or hypertension and SES.
Results Hypertension prevalence was 20% in men and 28% in women. In both men and women, the income distributions of BP and hypertension were non-linear, indicating elevated levels in low as well as in high-income groups. In contrast to the negative relationships typical for industrialized countries, multivariate-adjusted BP and hypertension were highest in the wealthiest women. In men with some high school education, income was positively associated with BP, while there were negative associations in men with lesser education. Unlike women, mean BP were highest in poor men with limited education. Low SES men were also least likely to receive diagnosis and treatment.
Conclusions Socioeconomic status is related to BP and hypertension in Jamaica, although relationships are non-linear. Behavioural and environmental factors that explain elevated BP among both low and high SES adults in developing countries must be identified to develop effective prevention strategies.
Keywords Hypertension, blood pressure, developing countries, Jamaica, socioeconomic income, education
Accepted 6 December 2002
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  C. Erem, A. Hacihasanoglu, M. Kocak, O. Deger, and M. Topbas Prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension and associated risk factors among Turkish adults: Trabzon Hypertension Study J. Public Health Med., March 1, 2009; 31(1): 47 - 58. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L C H Fernald and N E Adler Blood pressure and socioeconomic status in low-income women in Mexico: a reverse gradient? J Epidemiol Community Health, May 1, 2008; 62(5): e8 - e8. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. D. Smith Infection, medical care and inequalities Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2005; 34(3): 507 - 508. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Shaw, H. Tunstall, and G. Davey Smith Seeing social position: visualizing class in life and death Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2003; 32(3): 332 - 335. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|