Identification and perception of cardiovascular risk factors in Burkina Faso

The objectives of our study were to evaluate the perception and the knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) by the population and their management by health care workers (HCW) in Burkina Faso. The survey targeted specific socio-professional groups representative of Burkina Faso. The survey team administrated a questionnaire and measured some constants. The sampling method was empiric selection by quotas. The sample was composed of 2 000 sujects: 1 073 men, 927 women, 1 800 represants of the general population and 200 HCW. Of 1 800 non health workers, 1 475 had ever heard about hypertension. The representation of hypertension as "a disease" decreased with instruction level while its reprensatation "a risk factor" increased with instruction level (p<0.001). The main sources of information on CVRF were talks with parents and friends, radio broaclkasting and discussion with HCW. One hundred and fourty of 200 HCW defined hypertension as an elevation of blood pressure, mainly systolic (130 cases) according to WHO criteria. Hypertension was classified after alcohol, tobacco smoking, obesity as the fourth CVRE One hundred and seventy seven of 302 cases of hypertension were previously unknown: 97 of the 125 old cases were treated and 74 had not normal blood pressure levels. Hypertension and other CVRF are not well-known in Burkina Faso population and are not wellmanaged by HCW. Political decision makers and donor institutions should pay more attention on the public health problem represented by hypertension and other CVRF in developing countries because of they are not communicable.