BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS OF ETHIOPE WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE USING THE DINAMAP OSCILLOMETER

Abstract

A descriptive cross sectional study of blood pressure (BP) was carried out
using the DINAMAP oscillometric device on apparently healthy rural primary
school pupils between the ages 5 years to 12 years in Ethiope West Local
Government Area (EWLGA) of Delta State to ascertain their blood pressure
values and determine the prevalence of hypertension and pre hypertension in
the study population.
A total of 1200 pupils 632 (52.7%) females and 568 (47.3%) males were
recruited for the study. There were 321(26.8%) pupils from private schools
while the public schools had 879 (73.2%) pupils. They all had their BP
measured with the Dinamap monitor and only two hundred pupils were also
measured with the mercury sphygmomanometer. These being the number of
pupils whose blood pressure was 120/80mmHg and above using the Dinamap
monitor. Three readings were taken and the average of the last two readings
were used for statistical analysis.
The results showed that the prevalence of hypertension was 6.7% with no
significant difference in males (6.3%) and females (7.0%). However, there was
significant difference in school type with the public schools (7.2%) higher than
the private schools (5.3%) P=0.035. The prevalence of prehypertension was
6%. There was no significant difference by gender with males (5.5%) and
females (6.0%). Pupils in private schools had a pre-hypertensive prevalence of
7.2% and public schools 4.8% and this difference was statistically significant
P=0.035. BP increased with age from 5 to 12 years in both sexes and school
types. Males had a higher SBP from 5years to 8 years but females had a higher
SBP from 9 years to 12 years. This coincided with the onset of puberty the
where females are taller and heavier than the males.
Compared to the NCHS standards the SBP in this study was higher while the
DBP was lower.
It is recommended that BP of children between the ages of 5 years to 12 years
in EWLGA be measured using the Dinamap XL device and the developed
charts referred to for easy interpretation and detection of elevated BP at every
contact with a health facility

BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS OF ETHIOPE WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE