Table 2.

Blood pressure measurement techniques in epidemiological studies on hypertension in Ghana

Study references	Personnel taking BP	No. of visits	Interval between visits	Frequency of readings per visit	Initial rest time (mins)	Interval between multiple readings	Reading used in analysis	cuff size	Posture	Part of body on which BP taken	Device
Pobee et al 1979 [22-24,74]	nr	1 -2; If 2nd BP reading higher than that defined for age, BP re-taken at a later visit	24 hours	1 - 3	nr	10 mins	1st or 3rd BP reading	nr	seated	right arm	manual
Pobee et al 1977 [24,32]	2 field staff	1	-	3	5-10	nr	Mean of three readings	14 cm wide cuff	seated	right arm	manual
Ikeme et al 1978 [21,22,37,41]	trained nurses	1	-	1 - 3; BP repeated twice if BP > 160/95 mmHg	5	10 mins	Initial BP	two cuff sizes 12 × 10 cm, 14 × 17 cm	seated	right arm	Manual
Chukwuemeka et al 1983 [20,74]	trained nurses	1	-	As in Ikeme et al 1978[21]	5	nr	nr	two cuff sizes 12 × 10 cm, 14 × 17 cm	seated	right arm	manual
Hesse 1998 [30]	4 medical officers	1 - 2; BP re-taken at a later visit if BP > 140/90 mmHg	1 month	3	5	30 secs	Mean of latter 3 readings	appropriate cuff size	seated	right arm	manual
Amoah 2003 [33]	3 nurses	1	-	2	≥ 10	1 min	Mean of two readings	appropriate cuff size	seated	right arm	manual
Addo et al 2006 [27]	2 nurses	1	-	2	≥ 10	1 min	Mean of 2 readings	appropriate cuff size	seated	Right arm	manual
Burket 2006 [35]	Nurses, confirmed by physician if raised BP	1	-	1 - 2; BP repeated only if 1st reading is raised	nr	On average, 26.5 mins	nr	nr	seated	arm	manual
Cappuccio et al 2004 [36,75]	Doctors, nurses, clerks	1	-	3	≥ 5	1 min	Mean of 2nd and 3rd readings	appropriate cuff size	seated	arm	electronic OMRON HEM705CP
Escalona et al 2004 [18]	Nurses	1	-	nr	nr	nr	nr	nr	seated	arm	Manual
Hill et al 2007 [29,44]	2 trained nurses	1	-	2	nr	nr	nr; both readings had to be raised	two cuff sizes	1303 seated 1253 supine	arm	Manual
Agyeman et al 2006 [28,42]	Trained staff	1	-	2	5	≥ 5 mins	Mean of two readings	appropriate cuff size	seated	right arm	electronic - Omron M5-I
Addo et al 2008 [31]	Trained interviewers	1 - 2, BP repeated at a later visit if initially > 140/90 mmHg without treatment	3 weeks	1-3	≥ 10	1 min	Mean of 2nd & 3rd readings	appropriate cuff size	Seated with feet flat on floor	right arm	electronic - Omron M5-I
Owiredu et al 2008 [19]	Trained personnel	1	-	2	> 5	5 mins	Mean of two readings	nr	seated	Left arm	Manual
Kunutsor & Powles 2009 [34]	6 trained personnel	1 - 2 BP re-taken in consenting sub-sample at a later visit	2 weeks	1 - 2	nr	nr	Mean of two readings	nr	seated	right arm	electronic - OMRON MX3 Plus
Mensa-Wilmot 2003 [26]	nurses	1	-	3	≥ 5	≥ 5 mins	Mean of 2nd and 3rd readings	nr	seated	wrist	electronic OMORON R5-I wrist digital
Akufo 2008 [25]	Nurse and 2 field assistants	1	-	3	≥ 30	5 mins	Mean of the 3 readings	nr	seated	right arm	electronic OMRON M4-I digital

Nr = not reported