10-year predicted cardiovascular disease risk among clinical health workers in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital
Authors: Lamin Franklin Abdul , Maduka Omosivie 
Published: November 2024

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are diseases that affect the heart and the vascular system. The highest rate of mortality resulMng from non-communicable diseases is majorly from CVDs. 10 – year predicted risk of CVD is the chance that one can develop CVD due to poor lifestyle modificaMons. Clinical health workers are people employed by hospitals that take care and maintain paMents' health. Finding the 10 – year predicted CVD risk of clinical staff at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching is the goal of this study.
Methods: In data collecMon, a descripMve cross-secMonal study, and WHO STEP instruments for NCDs were used. Current and 10 – year predicted risk of CVD among clinical health workers was determined by making use of WHO/ISH risk predicMon tool and Risk Score-Category. WHO/ISH risk predicMon tool was adjusted so that low risk represents below 10%, moderate risk represents 10% to less than 20% and high risk represents 20% and above. With the use of the Risk Score-Category, a risk score of 1 was given to parMcipants if there is any risk factor present. Those considered to be at low risk were having a score between 0 – 2, moderate risk between 3 – 5, and above 6 overall risk factors were classified as high-risk category. For all conMnuous variables were presented as means while mainly categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages. In tesMng whether the idenMfied risk factor and risk category of CVD, and professional cadre and risk category of CVD were in any way associated, Chi-square was used. To ascertain the predictors of CVD and in quanMfying the idenMfied predictors, factor analysis and mulMnomial logisMc regression were done respecMvely.
Results: 334 health workers responded and 76 (22.75%) were males while 258 (77.25%) were females. 214 (60.07%) were overweight/obese, 30 (45.78 %) of male parMcipants had waist circumference above 94 cm, and 217 (90.79%) female parMcipants had waist circumference above 80 cm. 51 (15.32%) had systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg, 46 (13.77%) had diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg, and 10 (2.99%) were diabeMc. 132 (39.52%) were at low risk, 192 (57.49%) were moderate risk and, 10 (2.99%) were at the category of a high risk of developing CVD. The idenMfied risk factors and the risk category of CVD were found to be associated with a p-value = <0.001, and professional cadre was not associated with the risk category of CVD Fisher’s exact = 0.416. Hypertension, poor intake of fruits and vegetables, diabetes, and physical inacMvity were the idenMfied predictors of CVD among the respondents. Blood pressure represented a stronger claim while physical inacMvity and poor intake of fruit and vegetable demonstrated a less strong claim. Physical inacMvity and blood pressure were idenMfied as predictors of moderate CVD risk.
Conclusion: Health educaMon and sensiMzaMon are needed to put clinical health workers from both high and moderate risk to low CVD risk. UPTH should make available early diagnosis and a treatment for clinical health workers to easily access it.