Effects of Parity on Blood Pressure Among West African Dogon Women

This study examined the effect of parity on blood pressure (BP) readings and BMI among rural West African Dogon women. Correlational research design. Sangha, West Africa 133 West African Dogon Women Demographic survey including age, number of children, history of hypertension, and village affiliatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ethnicity & disease 2012-01, Vol.22 (3), p.360-366
Main Authors: Taylor, Jacquelyn Y., Sampson, Deborah A., Anderson, Cindy M., Caldwell, Dennis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
African Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Analysis of Variance
Blood Pressure
Body Mass Index
Female
Health and Medicine
Humans
Hypertension
Mali
Middle Aged
Original Reports: Global Health
Parity
Rural areas
Rural Population - statistics & numerical data
West Africa
Western African ethnic groups
Young Adult
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Summary:This study examined the effect of parity on blood pressure (BP) readings and BMI among rural West African Dogon women. Correlational research design. Sangha, West Africa 133 West African Dogon Women Demographic survey including age, number of children, history of hypertension, and village affiliation. BP readings were taken in accordance with JNC-7 guidelines. BMI was calculated from height and weight. Women with BP readings diagnostic of hypertension were typically older (M = 55.72 years) than those who were normotensive (M = 42.40). However, BMI, on average, was within normal range for both groups (22.81 and 22.15, respectively). A statistically significant difference was found between number of children and systolic BP (SBP), P = .015, with those having 5 or more children with higher SBP than those with one to three children. A statistically significant difference, P = .001, was found between hypertension and normotensive diagnostic groups. This study shows that increased parity of five or more children may contribute to West African Dogon women's risk factors for hypertension in terms of increased SBP. Because BMI was within normal range for both groups of women, it was not shown to be an independent risk factor for hypertension in this sample. Further studies, with larger samples followed throughout their childbearing years (before, during, and after each pregnancy), are needed before more definitive conclusions can be made regarding the effects of parity on BMI and BP among rural West African Dogon women.
ISSN:1049-510X