Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Doctors and Nurses Working at a Teaching Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular diseases are major causes of mortality and morbidity and are of public health concern. Certain conditions identified as risk factors for these diseases include obesity, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia. Studies have established a link between these risk factors and some occupations. A high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors has been documented in healthcare workers globally, but limited research of such nature has been conducted amongst healthcare workers in Sierra Leone. This study aimed at assessing cardiometabolic risk factors amongst the doctors and nurses working in a tertiary hospital in Sierra Leone. Methods: Cross-sectional study amongst 231 consenting doctors and nurses working at a teaching hospital in Freetown, selected by stratified random sampling and using interviewer-administered questionnaire for data collection. Blood pressure, body mass index, waist–hip ratio, random plasma glucose, total cholesterol level and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were measured to evaluate obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and hyperglycaemia. The Framingham Risk Score was used to assess cardiovascular risk (low, intermediate and high risk). Descriptive statistics and appropriate statistical tests were used to analyse the data. Results: The mean age of the study population was 35.19 ± 8.37 years. The prevalence of obesity, hyperglycaemia and hypercholesterolemia was 27.7%, 3% and 1.3%, respectively. Isolated systolic and diastolic hypertension was seen in 15.2% and 20.3%, respectively. Only 1.3% had intermediate risk. Age, male sex, previous diagnosis of hypertension, blood pressure, random blood glucose, total cholesterol and HDL showed significant associations with cardiovascular risk. Positive predictors of cardiovascular risk were identified as a previous diagnosis of hypertension, random blood glucose and total cholesterol. Conclusion: Cardiometabolic conditions were present amongst the doctors and nurses in varying degrees in our study. Significant associations between cardiovascular risk and these conditions warrant the instituting of interventional strategies to mitigate disease effects in the study population.