Prevalence of Hypertension and Its Anthropometric and Behavioural Correlates Among Primary Healthcare Workers in South-East Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

AbstractBackground: Hypertension is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity andpremature mortality worldwide, and its burden is rising rapidly across sub-Saharan Africa.Healthcare workers, despite their proximity to health services, are themselves exposed tooccupational stressors that may predispose them to elevated blood pressure, yet they remain anunderstudied population in Nigeria.Objective: This study determined the prevalence of hypertension and examined itsanthropometric and behavioural correlates among primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) inSouth-East Nigeria.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed involving 400 PHCWs(physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists/technologists) selected throughmultistage proportionate, stratified, and simple random sampling across Federal Medical Centresin the five South-East states. Blood pressure was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer,and weight, height, and other anthropometric indices were recorded using standardisedprocedures. Data were analysed with SPSS version 25 using frequencies, percentages, chisquare, and correlation statistics, with significance set at p < 0.05.Results: Overall, 108 (27.0%) of respondents were hypertensive while 292 (73.0%) werenormotensive. The mean body mass index was significantly higher among female than malerespondents (25.25 ± 0.26 versus 23.55 ± 0.28 kg/m²; p < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic bloodpressures were markedly higher among hypertensive than normotensive respondents (162.85 ±1.61 versus 113.59 ± 0.98 mmHg and 102.98 ± 2.54 versus 87.41 ± 1.31 mmHg, respectively; p< 0.001). Body mass index was significantly associated with hypertension morbidity (χ² =22.265, p = 0.001), whereas occupational cadre (χ² = 6.969, p = 0.324), marital status (χ² = 5.512,p = 0.480), and family history (χ² = 4.000, p = 0.135) showed no statistically significantassociation.Conclusion: More than a quarter of primary healthcare workers in South-East Nigeria werehypertensive, and body mass index emerged as the strongest anthropometric correlate.Workplace-based screening, weight management, and lifestyle-modification programmes areurgently required for this vulnerable workforce.