Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Background: Hypertension is a common comorbidity among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and is associated with poorer treatment outcomes. Aim: To describe the epidemiology of hypertension among patients with T2D in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Setting: A multisite study among 20...

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Main Authors: Xoliswa Simelane, Jean-Pierre Fina-Lubaki, Joel M. Francis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2025-03-01
Series:African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
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Online Access:https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4712
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author Xoliswa Simelane
Jean-Pierre Fina-Lubaki
Joel M. Francis
author_facet Xoliswa Simelane
Jean-Pierre Fina-Lubaki
Joel M. Francis
author_sort Xoliswa Simelane
collection DOAJ
description Background: Hypertension is a common comorbidity among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and is associated with poorer treatment outcomes. Aim: To describe the epidemiology of hypertension among patients with T2D in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Setting: A multisite study among 20 randomly selected health facilities in Kinshasa. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study among 620 participants with T2D. The overall prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension was determined. Multivariable mixed effects logistic regression determined factors associated with hypertension and hypertension control among participants with T2D. Results: One-third (34.7%) of study participants were classified as having hypertension. The factors associated with hypertension were unemployment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18–3.17), overweight (aOR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.78–4.13), diabetes duration ≥ 5 years (aOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.24–2.73), protestant religion (aOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.29–0.82) and severe diabetes distress (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.28–0.79). The prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension among participants with diabetes-hypertension comorbidity was 50.2%. Being overweight was associated with uncontrolled hypertension (aOR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.08–3.79). Conclusion: Hypertension was common among patients with T2D in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and in most patients it was uncontrolled. There is a need to strengthen the hypertension prevention and control strategies among patients with T2D, including lifestyle modifications to maintain optimal body weight. Contribution: This study provides insight into the diabetes-hypertension comorbidity in an African urban setting.
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spelling doaj-art-7beb66188cff48ca8de9df9a6ef4ead12025-08-20T01:50:57ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362025-03-01171e1e910.4102/phcfm.v17i1.47121231Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of CongoXoliswa Simelane0Jean-Pierre Fina-Lubaki1Joel M. Francis2Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Protestant University of Congo, KinshasaDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgBackground: Hypertension is a common comorbidity among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and is associated with poorer treatment outcomes. Aim: To describe the epidemiology of hypertension among patients with T2D in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Setting: A multisite study among 20 randomly selected health facilities in Kinshasa. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study among 620 participants with T2D. The overall prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension was determined. Multivariable mixed effects logistic regression determined factors associated with hypertension and hypertension control among participants with T2D. Results: One-third (34.7%) of study participants were classified as having hypertension. The factors associated with hypertension were unemployment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18–3.17), overweight (aOR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.78–4.13), diabetes duration ≥ 5 years (aOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.24–2.73), protestant religion (aOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.29–0.82) and severe diabetes distress (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.28–0.79). The prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension among participants with diabetes-hypertension comorbidity was 50.2%. Being overweight was associated with uncontrolled hypertension (aOR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.08–3.79). Conclusion: Hypertension was common among patients with T2D in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and in most patients it was uncontrolled. There is a need to strengthen the hypertension prevention and control strategies among patients with T2D, including lifestyle modifications to maintain optimal body weight. Contribution: This study provides insight into the diabetes-hypertension comorbidity in an African urban setting.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4712type 2 diabeteshypertensionepidemiologyurban settingsub-saharan africa.
spellingShingle Xoliswa Simelane
Jean-Pierre Fina-Lubaki
Joel M. Francis
Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
type 2 diabetes
hypertension
epidemiology
urban setting
sub-saharan africa.
title Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_full Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_fullStr Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_short Epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_sort epidemiology of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes in the democratic republic of congo
topic type 2 diabetes
hypertension
epidemiology
urban setting
sub-saharan africa.
url https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4712
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