AMMAN — A recent study conducted by the
Middle East Network for Community Health on chronic diseases in Jordan revealed
that “a quarter of the population of the Kingdom is at high risk of developing
cardiovascular diseases,” Al Rai daily reported.
اضافة اعلان
Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dr
Yousef Al-Qaoud, told the newspaper that “cardiovascular diseases are common in
Jordan, and they are more prevalent among men .... The prevalence rate of these
diseases reached 7 percent, which is a high percentage. In men it reached 9
percent and in women, 5 percent and it increases for both at older ages.”
He added that about a quarter of the population is
at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
“The network conducted a review of studies done on
chronic diseases in Jordan, to reach appropriate recommendations to reduce the
burden of these diseases, as they are the main cause of illness and deaths in
Jordan, and represent 78 percent of all deaths,” Qaoud said.
According to the study, as stated by Qaoud,
cardiovascular diseases represent 39 percent of chronic disease deaths,
followed by cancers at 15 percent, diabetes at 7 percent, chronic respiratory
diseases at 3 percent and another 15 percent that are attributed to other
chronic diseases.
With regard to diabetes, Qaoud said that “it is a
major public health problem in Jordan, as it caused 7 percent of deaths in
2019, and previous studies showed an upward trend in its prevalence with age in both sexes in Jordan.” He added that
the prevalence of diabetes increased from 13 percent in 1994 to 17.1 percent in
2004 and from 22.2 percent in 2009 to 23.7 percent in 2017. He said that there
are many reasons behind this disease, such as lifestyle and smoking, but that
the combined effect of these factors on diabetes is much less than the effect
of obesity.
78%
Of deaths are due to chronic diseases
As for high
blood pressure, according to Qaoud, it constitutes a major public health
problem in Jordan, where 33.8 percent of men and 29.4 percent of women suffer
from it, while hyperlipidemia problems are widespread and increasing among
Jordanian adults, and it is one of the factors contributing to the risk of
developing cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and type two diabetes.
The study showed
that 17.7 percent of Jordanians have high levels of total cholesterol, and 26
percent have high levels of triglycerides. Also, obesity rates in Jordan are
high and increasing, especially among women, and constitute a source of concern
in children. Qaou said that nearly three quarters of adult men and women suffer
from being overweight or obese.
Qaoud added that
“overweight and obesity among children is a cause for concern, and it is
increasing, as more than a quarter of Jordanian children between the ages of
six and 12 years are overweight or obese.”
“Given the burden
of chronic diseases in Jordan, there is a need to focus more on primary health
care,” Qaoud said. “And there is a need to introduce family health teams in
primary health care centers, which includes family physicians, GPs, nurses,
dieticians, social workers and other professionals who are essential in
treating various health problems,” he concluded.
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