Hypertension Awareness and Control Among Middle-aged and Older Adults in Canada: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Abstract
Hypertension awareness and control reflect healthcare system efficacy to identify the condition and manage its burden. This thesis aimed to determine the prevalence of undetected and uncontrolled hypertension, and their association with social determinants in middle to older-aged adults. Current literature was reviewed, followed by a cross-sectional analysis of Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data. Hypertension prevalence in the cohort was 45.5%, of which 14.7% of hypertensives were undetected and 22% uncontrolled. Multivariable analysis results suggest that younger age and active employment are associated with undetected hypertension, and that older age, males, lower household income, and not graduating high school are associated with uncontrolled hypertension. Both outcomes were also strongly associated with not seeing a physician and not checking blood pressure in the last year. We recommend that future research identify and evaluate policies that are tailored to groups with high rates of undetected and uncontrolled hypertension.