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International Journal of Public Health and Safety

ISSN: 2736-6189

Open Access

High Prevalence and Clustering Of Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Nurses in Nigeria: Implication for Translating Knowledge into Practice among Health Care Professionals

Abstract

Nse A Odunaiya*, Emmanuel C Okoye, Opeyemi M Adegoke, Deborah Ojoye and Oluwafemi OOguntibeju

Objective: There is paucity of information on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among the working population in Nigeria, particularly among nurses. This study was thus conducted to investigate the prevalence of selected modifiable CVD risk factors and sociodemographic factors associated with them, among nurses in Nigeria.

Materials and methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey involving 316 (298 females and 18 males) nurses, purposively recruited from the largest teaching hospital in Nigeria. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the AUDIT- C Alcohol Screening Questionnaire were used to assess the physical activity and alcohol consumption levels of the participants respectively. Participants' height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, waist-to-hip ratio and blood pressure were assessed using standard procedures. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics of Chi-square at 0.05 level of significance.

Results: There was high prevalence and clustering of physical inactivity, obesity and pre-hypertension among the participants. Significant association was found between age and blood pressure (p<0.001), age and BMI (p<0.001), sex and physical activity level (p=0.041), sex and alcohol consumption (p<0.001), professional rank and blood pressure (0.038) and between professional rank and BMI (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Findings from this study showed high prevalence of CVD risk factors: obesity, pre-hypertension abnormal waist-hip ratio and insufficient physical activity levels among participants. These factors were variedly associated with participants’ age, professional rank and sex. There is a need for an urgent intervention to ameliorate CVD risks among nurses in Nigeria.

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