Poverty and Cardiovascular Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

There is a rise in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Even though SSA is home to 14% world’s inhabitants, it is home to more than half of the global poor. The objective of this chapter is to evaluate the interconnection between CVD and poverty in SSA. We found that the relationship between poverty and CVD is bidirectional. The intersection between poverty and CVD cuts through primordial, primary prevention and secondary prevention interventions. In the context of poverty in SSA, CVD prevention is a challenge due to competing demands to address the never conquered infectious diseases exacerbated by the current COVID-19 pandemic. With a weak healthcare system and out of pocket payment for the costs of CVD care, a significant proportion of individuals with CVD and their households are consequently impoverished. Besides, CVD affects a younger and productive population in SSA than in the rest of the world. Thus, CVD-related loss of productivity progressively pushes an additional number of individuals into poverty, requiring urgent attention.

Cardiovascular Care in Africa – Cost Crisis and the Urgent Need for Contextual Health Service Solutions

“…Global statistics show a disproportionately high CVD burden and high morbidity, mortality risk factors and economic load, particularly in the developing world [3]. The CVD toll economically devastates households and governments, especially in low-and middle-income countries, where there is still a competing demand to address the ever-present array of infectious diseases that have worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic [4]. The worsening African healthcare crisis can be viewed from three angles: one, the existing skeletal healthcare infrastructure; two, a lack of trained professionals in handling CVD cases; and three, the increasing incidence of CVD-associated diseases in the backdrop of infectious respiratory diseases such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…Globally, billions of dollars are lost in healthcare expenses directly and reduced productivity indirectly from the physical disablement of individuals due to heart failure and other CVDs [5,6]. A significant number of patients with CVDs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) pay for CVD care out-of-pocket [4]. Therefore, maintaining patients on guideline-directed medical therapy is challenging, with frequent requests for cheaper therapeutics.…”

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Young Adults (18–25 Years) in Mozambique

“…Mozambique is undergoing demographic and epidemiologic transitions [13][14][15], and, like in other SSA countries, competing demands to address infectious diseases and poverty pose challenges to CVD prevention and risk factor management. In addition, CVD in SSA countries seems to disproportionally affect the younger and more productive population compared to the rest of the world [16]. This highlights the importance of monitoring the current cardiovascular risk profile of young adults.…”