Prevalence of hypertension among rural Saudi school girls in western region

Abstract EN

Hypertension is one of the signifieant health problems all آماه the world.

In 1988, 253 primary sehool girls below 15 years in Khulais (Group I) had their blood pressure (BP), weight, height and pulse rate mea-sured.

Urine analysis and haemoglobin were also estimated.

In 1989, simi-lar study was eondueted for 363 girls in the same age group in Bahra (Group II).

Determination of hypertension and its determinants among sehool girls was our aim.

Diastolie BP 95 ءةth pereentile for age was noted in 3.95ه/م and 3.3ه/ه in Group I and II, respeet^ely, with general pre؟alenee rate of 3.57%.

Sys-tolie BP 95 ءةth pereentile for age was found to be 6.7% & 4.4% for Group I and II, respeet^ely.

Analysis of other variables (weight, height and urine) was performed to determine the eontribution of eaeh independent variable to BP.

Weight and height were found to be associated with DBP, while age was not correlated- These data suggest that BP standards for ehildren should be based on weight and height rather than on age alone.

The whole eommunity must be mobilized and made aware of the problem in early ehildhood.

We have to seareh for the best approaeh for prevention and eontrol.