Prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Prevalence of hypertension was 35.7% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1990–2019
Source: World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of adults ages 30-79.
Analysis
In 2019, prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 35.7%.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 37.4% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 34.7%, in 1990.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 18th of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of adults ages 30-79 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 34.7% | — |
| 1991 | 34.7% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 34.8% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 34.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 34.9% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 35.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 35.1% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 35.2% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 35.4% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 35.5% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 35.7% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 36.2% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 36.7% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 37.1% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 37.3% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 37.4% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 37.4% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 37.3% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 37.2% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 37.1% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 36.7% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 36.3% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 36.1% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 35.9% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 35.7% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 35.0% | 34.7% | 35.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.7% | 35.7% | 37.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.6% | 35.7% | 37.3% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.024 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0282 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0287 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Prevalence of hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 35.7% in 2019, according to World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of hypertension recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 37.4% in 2009.
- What is the lowest prevalence of hypertension recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.7% in 1990.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for prevalence of hypertension?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 18th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is prevalence of hypertension rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository, published as part of Prevalence of hypertension (% of adults ages 30-79). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of hypertension is the percentage of adults ages 30-79 with hypertension (defined as having systolic blood pressure =140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure =90 mmHg, or taking medication for hypertension). The data is age-standardized.