Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study

Patricia Rarau; Gwendalyn Vengiau; Hebe Gouda; Suparat Phuanukoonon; Isi H. Kevau; Chris Bullen; Robert Scragg; Ian Riley; Geoffrey Marks; Masahiro Umezaki; Ayako Morita; Brian Oldenburg; Barbara McPake; Justin Pulford

doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221

Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study

Patricia Rarau, Gwendalyn Vengiau, Hebe Gouda, Suparat Phuanukoonon, Isi H. Kevau, Chris Bullen, Robert Scragg, Ian Riley, Geoffrey Marks, Masahiro Umezaki, Ayako Morita, Brian Oldenburg, Barbara McPake, Justin Pulford

International Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a culturally, environmentally and ethnically diverse country of 7.3 million people experiencing rapid economic development and social change. Such development is typically associated with an increase in non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors.

Aim

To establish the prevalence of NCD risk factors in three different regions across PNG in order to guide appropriate prevention and control measures.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with randomly selected adults (15–65 years), stratified by age and sex recruited from the general population of integrated Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites in West Hiri (periurban), Asaro (rural highland) and Karkar Island (rural island), PNG. A modified WHO STEPS risk factor survey was administered along with anthropometric and biochemical measures on study participants.

Results

The prevalence of NCD risk factors was markedly different across the three sites. For example, the prevalences of current alcohol consumption at 43% (95% CI 35 to 52), stress at 46% (95% CI 40 to 52), obesity at 22% (95% CI 18 to 28), hypertension at 22% (95% CI 17 to 28), elevated levels of cholesterol at 24% (95% CI 19 to 29) and haemoglobin A1c at 34% (95% CI 29 to 41) were highest in West Hiri relative to the rural areas. However, central obesity at 90% (95% CI 86 to 93) and prehypertension at 55% (95% CI 42 to 62) were most common in Asaro whereas prevalences of smoking, physical inactivity and low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels at 52% (95% CI 45 to 59), 34% (95% CI 26 to 42) and 62% (95% CI 56 to 68), respectively, were highest in Karkar Island.

Conclusion

Adult residents in the three different communities are at high risk of developing NCDs, especially the West Hiri periurban population. There is an urgent need for appropriate multisectoral preventive interventions and improved health services. Improved monitoring and control of NCD risk factors is also needed in all regions across PNG.

Original language	English
Article number	e000221
Pages (from-to)	e000221
Journal	BMJ Global Health
Volume	2
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221
Publication status	Published - 14 Jun 2017

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BMJ global Health prevalence of non-communicable 2017 2 e000221Final published version, 474 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

Rarau, P., Vengiau, G., Gouda, H., Phuanukoonon, S., Kevau, I. H., Bullen, C., Scragg, R., Riley, I., Marks, G., Umezaki, M., Morita, A., Oldenburg, B., McPake, B., & Pulford, J. (2017). Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Global Health, 2(2), e000221. Article e000221. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221

@article{4cd6e082947f4bffb3611beccb9161a0,

title = "Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study",

abstract = "Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a culturally, environmentally and ethnically diverse country of 7.3 million people experiencing rapid economic development and social change. Such development is typically associated with an increase in non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors.Aim To establish the prevalence of NCD risk factors in three different regions across PNG in order to guide appropriate prevention and control measures.Methods A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with randomly selected adults (15–65 years), stratified by age and sex recruited from the general population of integrated Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites in West Hiri (periurban), Asaro (rural highland) and Karkar Island (rural island), PNG. A modified WHO STEPS risk factor survey was administered along with anthropometric and biochemical measures on study participants.Results The prevalence of NCD risk factors was markedly different across the three sites. For example, the prevalences of current alcohol consumption at 43\% (95\% CI 35 to 52), stress at 46\% (95\% CI 40 to 52), obesity at 22\% (95\% CI 18 to 28), hypertension at 22\% (95\% CI 17 to 28), elevated levels of cholesterol at 24\% (95\% CI 19 to 29) and haemoglobin A1c at 34\% (95\% CI 29 to 41) were highest in West Hiri relative to the rural areas. However, central obesity at 90\% (95\% CI 86 to 93) and prehypertension at 55\% (95\% CI 42 to 62) were most common in Asaro whereas prevalences of smoking, physical inactivity and low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels at 52\% (95\% CI 45 to 59), 34\% (95\% CI 26 to 42) and 62\% (95\% CI 56 to 68), respectively, were highest in Karkar Island.Conclusion Adult residents in the three different communities are at high risk of developing NCDs, especially the West Hiri periurban population. There is an urgent need for appropriate multisectoral preventive interventions and improved health services. Improved monitoring and control of NCD risk factors is also needed in all regions across PNG.",

author = "Patricia Rarau and Gwendalyn Vengiau and Hebe Gouda and Suparat Phuanukoonon and Kevau, \{Isi H.\} and Chris Bullen and Robert Scragg and Ian Riley and Geoffrey Marks and Masahiro Umezaki and Ayako Morita and Brian Oldenburg and Barbara McPake and Justin Pulford",

year = "2017",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221",

language = "English",

volume = "2",

pages = "e000221",

journal = "BMJ Global Health",

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Rarau, P, Vengiau, G, Gouda, H, Phuanukoonon, S, Kevau, IH, Bullen, C, Scragg, R, Riley, I, Marks, G, Umezaki, M, Morita, A, Oldenburg, B, McPake, B & Pulford, J 2017, 'Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study', BMJ Global Health, vol. 2, no. 2, e000221, pp. e000221. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study

AU - Rarau, Patricia

AU - Vengiau, Gwendalyn

AU - Gouda, Hebe

AU - Phuanukoonon, Suparat

AU - Kevau, Isi H.

AU - Bullen, Chris

AU - Scragg, Robert

AU - Riley, Ian

AU - Marks, Geoffrey

AU - Umezaki, Masahiro

AU - Morita, Ayako

AU - Oldenburg, Brian

AU - McPake, Barbara

AU - Pulford, Justin

PY - 2017/6/14

Y1 - 2017/6/14

N2 - Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a culturally, environmentally and ethnically diverse country of 7.3 million people experiencing rapid economic development and social change. Such development is typically associated with an increase in non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors.Aim To establish the prevalence of NCD risk factors in three different regions across PNG in order to guide appropriate prevention and control measures.Methods A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with randomly selected adults (15–65 years), stratified by age and sex recruited from the general population of integrated Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites in West Hiri (periurban), Asaro (rural highland) and Karkar Island (rural island), PNG. A modified WHO STEPS risk factor survey was administered along with anthropometric and biochemical measures on study participants.Results The prevalence of NCD risk factors was markedly different across the three sites. For example, the prevalences of current alcohol consumption at 43% (95% CI 35 to 52), stress at 46% (95% CI 40 to 52), obesity at 22% (95% CI 18 to 28), hypertension at 22% (95% CI 17 to 28), elevated levels of cholesterol at 24% (95% CI 19 to 29) and haemoglobin A1c at 34% (95% CI 29 to 41) were highest in West Hiri relative to the rural areas. However, central obesity at 90% (95% CI 86 to 93) and prehypertension at 55% (95% CI 42 to 62) were most common in Asaro whereas prevalences of smoking, physical inactivity and low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels at 52% (95% CI 45 to 59), 34% (95% CI 26 to 42) and 62% (95% CI 56 to 68), respectively, were highest in Karkar Island.Conclusion Adult residents in the three different communities are at high risk of developing NCDs, especially the West Hiri periurban population. There is an urgent need for appropriate multisectoral preventive interventions and improved health services. Improved monitoring and control of NCD risk factors is also needed in all regions across PNG.

AB - Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a culturally, environmentally and ethnically diverse country of 7.3 million people experiencing rapid economic development and social change. Such development is typically associated with an increase in non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors.Aim To establish the prevalence of NCD risk factors in three different regions across PNG in order to guide appropriate prevention and control measures.Methods A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with randomly selected adults (15–65 years), stratified by age and sex recruited from the general population of integrated Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites in West Hiri (periurban), Asaro (rural highland) and Karkar Island (rural island), PNG. A modified WHO STEPS risk factor survey was administered along with anthropometric and biochemical measures on study participants.Results The prevalence of NCD risk factors was markedly different across the three sites. For example, the prevalences of current alcohol consumption at 43% (95% CI 35 to 52), stress at 46% (95% CI 40 to 52), obesity at 22% (95% CI 18 to 28), hypertension at 22% (95% CI 17 to 28), elevated levels of cholesterol at 24% (95% CI 19 to 29) and haemoglobin A1c at 34% (95% CI 29 to 41) were highest in West Hiri relative to the rural areas. However, central obesity at 90% (95% CI 86 to 93) and prehypertension at 55% (95% CI 42 to 62) were most common in Asaro whereas prevalences of smoking, physical inactivity and low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels at 52% (95% CI 45 to 59), 34% (95% CI 26 to 42) and 62% (95% CI 56 to 68), respectively, were highest in Karkar Island.Conclusion Adult residents in the three different communities are at high risk of developing NCDs, especially the West Hiri periurban population. There is an urgent need for appropriate multisectoral preventive interventions and improved health services. Improved monitoring and control of NCD risk factors is also needed in all regions across PNG.

U2 - 10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221

DO - 10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000221

M3 - Article

VL - 2

SP - e000221

JO - BMJ Global Health

JF - BMJ Global Health

IS - 2

M1 - e000221

ER -

Prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors in three sites across Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study

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