Prevalence and Predictors of Hypertension among Company Workers in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background/Objective Hypertension, “the silent killer,” is an important preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality globally. This condition has become a major non-communicable disease threatening sub-Saharan Africa, and its prevalence is rising in middle and low-income countries. This study objective was to determine the prevalence and predictors of hypertension among company workers in Rivers State, Nigeria Methods This analytical and cross-sectional study used a multi-stage sampling technique to recruit 296 company workers in Rivers State, Nigeria. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain the respondents’ demographics, lifestyle, and healthcare characteristics. Respondents’ weight and height were measured using standard procedures. Blood pressure was determined by standard practice and criteria as defined by WHO and International Society of Hypertension. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and logistic regression at p40 (p<0.001), alcohol consumption (any) (p<0.05), physical activity (≤rarely) (p<0.001) and BMI (≥25) (p<0.001) of the respondents. Conclusion There was a high prevalence of hypertension and presence of modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among the population. Therefore, both secondary and primary prevention require attention, in the latter case, comprehensive population-wide and workstation interventions, including behavioral change and communication interventions that are context-specific, should be implemented.

Keywords

• hypertension
• body mass index
• physical activity
• NCDs
• non-communicable diseases
• alcohol consumption