Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and high blood pressure pose a significant health and economic burden in low-income countries. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of diabetes, arterial hypertension, and obesity, as well as their associated factors, in the Niakhene commune in rural Senegal. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical survey conducted in October 2020 among individuals aged 18 years or older and residing in the Niakhene municipality. A systematic random survey, stratified by sex and sections, was carried out. The questionnaire was developed based on the framework of the STEPS 2015 tools and a literature review. This questionnaire included anthropometric measurements, as well as blood sugar and blood pressure measurements. Descriptive and analytical analyses were performed using R 4.0.2 software. A total of 300 individuals were surveyed. The prevalence of diabetes was 3.7%, including 0.7% newly diagnosed cases. Factors associated with diabetes included advanced age (over 60 years) (ORaj=10.6 [1.32-232]) and a family history of diabetes (ORaj=8.77 [1.16-65.7]). Regarding arterial hypertension, 16.3% of cases were newly diagnosed. Hypertension was associated with age and the presence of overweight or obesity. Individuals aged 40 to 59 had a 4.1 [1.9-9.3] times higher risk of being hypertensive. Overweight and obese individuals were 2.6 [1.25-5.76] times more likely to be hypertensive. Overweight was observed in 10.7% of individuals, and obesity in 3.7%. Both conditions were primarily associated with age, with individuals aged 25-39 being 7.5 [2.35-33.9] times more likely to be overweight or obese. This study highlights the need to strengthen efforts to address the burden of (NCDs) in rural areas and across the country.

Key words: Cardiovascular risk factors, Non-communicable diseases, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, Senegal.