Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hypertension in Urban Areas of Cameroon: A Nationwide Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Accurate estimates of the prevalence rate of hypertension and determinants in Cameroon are crucial to inform efficient prevention and control policies. The authors carried out a cluster-specific cross-sectional survey in urban areas of the 10 regions of Cameroon to assess the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension in Cameroonian adults using the WHO STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS). Sociodemographic data were collected and blood pressure and glycemia were measured using standardized methods.

Comprehensive strategies for the prevention and control of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in Africa: future directions.

The countries of the Sub Saharan African region have insufficient resources and healthcare systems that are poorly adapted to cope with the longstanding burden associated with communicable diseases and the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic. In addition, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and their risk factors, poses additional challenges. These countries need to urgently develop strategies to address these challenges of disease prevention and control.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in a self-selected sub-Saharan African urban population: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Hypertension has been established as a major public health problem in Africa, but its specific contributions to disease burden are still incompletely understood. We report the prevalence and determinants of hypertension, detection, treatment and control rates among adults in major cities in Cameroon.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

The spectrum of skin diseases in a rural setting in Cameroon (sub-Saharan Africa).

Background: Skin disorders are generally considered to be more prevalent in the rural areas of Cameroon. This study was carried out to verify this assumption by describing the spectrum of skin disorders in a rural setting of Cameroon.

Methods: We carried out a community-based clinical skin examination of 400 consenting subjects from 4 villages of Cameroon: Nyamanga (27%), Yebekolo (24%), Mbangassina (23%) and Bilomo (26%).

Ethics of human genetic studies in sub-saharan Africa: the case of Cameroon through a bibliometric analysis.

Unlabelled: Many ethical concerns surrounding human genetics studies remain unresolved. We report here the situation in Cameroon.

Objectives:   To describe the profile of human genetic studies that used Cameroonian DNA samples, with specific focus on i) the research centres that were involved, ii) authorship, iii) population studied, iv) research topics and v) ethics disclosure, with the aim of raising ethical issues that emerged from these studies.

Knowledge of Pregnant Women on Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Yaoundé.

Introduction: Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is a major public health problem in Cameroon. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge of pregnant women on HIV transmission and prevention, particularly the four pillars of mother-to-child transmission.

Materials And Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study from October 2008 to January 2009 at the Yaoundé Gynaecology-Obstetrics and Pediatric Hospital.

Urbanicity affects blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to a speech stressor in Cameroon.

Objective: To examine the interactive influence of urbanicity on cardiovascular reactivity to speech stressors among 103 urban and 93 rural Cameroonians.

Method: Heart rate, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure (HR, SBP, and DBP) changes from baseline were assessed during a speech preparation period, speech stressor task, and post-speech recovery period.

Results: After adjusting for income, age, BMI, and sex, urban subjects showed greater diastolic reactivity to the pre-speech and speech conditions than to recovery.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice with respect to epilepsy among secondary school students in the Kumbo West Health District - North West Region- Cameroon.

Background: The main goal of this study was to obtain baseline data on awareness and attitudes and practices with respect to epilepsy among secondary school students.

Methods: We interviewed a total of 659 students from three randomly selected secondary schools in the Kumbo West Health District, using a 12-item questionnaire in English.

Results: About 94.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to epilepsy among student nurses and laboratory assistants in the South West Region of Cameroon.

Objective: This study was designed as part of a series of studies mandated by the Cameroon Ministry of Public Health (National Epilepsy Control Program) to obtain new data for improvement of the epilepsy teaching program in schools training health personnel in the South West Region of Cameroon.

Method: A 12-item semistructured questionnaire was self-administered to 340 student nurses and laboratory assistants in five training schools for health personnel in the South West Region of Cameroon.

Results: All of them had heard about epilepsy, 86.

A community survey of knowledge, perceptions, and practice with respect to epilepsy among traditional healers in the Batibo Health District, Cameroon.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the approach of traditional healers to epilepsy care, in order to develop a community-based epilepsy care program in Batibo Health District.

Methods: With an 18-item questionnaire, interviews were carried out with 102 traditional healers randomly selected from two associations of traditional healers in the Batibo Health District.

Results: Most traditional healers had heard about epilepsy (98.

A survey of public knowledge, attitudes, and practices with respect to epilepsy in Badissa village, centre region of Cameroon.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) with respect to epilepsy in Badissa, as part of a series of studies mandated by the Cameroon Ministry of Public Health.

Method: We interviewed 164 subjects face-to-face during a door-to-door survey.

Results: All of the subjects had heard about epilepsy; 98.

Secondary school students' knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward epilepsy in the Batibo Health District--Cameroon.

Using a 12-item questionnaire, we assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) toward epilepsy and identified determinants of inappropriate attitudes toward people with epilepsy (PWE) among 910 randomly selected secondary school students in Batibo (Cameroon). Ninety-five percent of the students had heard or read about epilepsy, 73.3% knew an epileptic, and 76.

Public awareness, perceptions, and attitudes with respect to epilepsy in Ebolowa and Sangmelima--Urban Cameroon.

Within the framework of a series of studies mandated by the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon to obtain baseline data for an epilepsy education program adapted to our communities, we interviewed 456 subjects without epilepsy in the Ebolowa Regional and Sangmelima District Hospitals. We found that 99.6 and 72.

General public awareness, perceptions, and attitudes with respect to epilepsy in the Akwaya Health District, South-West Region, Cameroon.

Background: This study was part of a series mandated by the Ministry of Public Health's National Epilepsy Control Program to obtain baseline data for a community-adapted epilepsy education program.

Methods: We conducted 387 face-to-face interviews with subjects without epilepsy aged 15 years and above in 12 villages of the Akwaya Health District, Cameroon.

Results: Most respondents (97.

General public knowledge, attitudes, and practices with respect to epilepsy in the Batibo Health District, Cameroon.

Our aim was to obtain baseline data for an epilepsy education program adapted to communities in Cameroon. We conducted 302 face-to-face interviews with patients without epilepsy, caregivers, and visitors in the Batibo District Hospital. Most respondents (99.

Cardiovascular disease and the global tobacco epidemic: a wake-up call for cardiologists.

The global tobacco epidemic continues unabated with the recruitment of young people, including women, to join the ranks of smokers. Even though cardiovascular diseases account for some of the major tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, cardiologists and their professional societies have lagged behind in the crusade against tobacco. A great opportunity exists for more involvement and leadership role by cardiologists, especially in countries where tobacco control efforts are not well established.