Hypertension Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Care Cascade Among Nursing Staff at The Largest Tertiary-Care Hospital, Western Gujarat: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background: Hypertension is the most common risk factor for noncommunicable diseases and is a major global public health challenge due to its very high prevalence, which leads to significant rates of morbidity, mortality, and disability. Nurses are at higher risk of developing early NCD due to sedentary lifestyles, stressful work conditions, and irregular eating and sleeping habits. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hypertension, assess awareness, treatment, and control rates among hypertensive nursing staff, and identify associated risk factors. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in the entire cohort of nursing staff by the census method during the study period at the government hospital in Rajkot city. Data were collected using a pretested, prevalidated, and semistructured questionnaire through interviews involving sociodemographic, anthropometric, behavioral, chronic illness, and drug history. The average of two readings of blood pressure was recorded using a sphygmomanometer. BMI and WHR were measured and categorized according to WHO guidelines. Data analysis was done using licensed statistical software. Results: Among 360 nursing staff surveyed, hypertension and prehypertension prevalence were 59 (16.39%) and 138 (38.33%), respectively. Among hypertensive participants, 28/59 (47.5%) were aware of their diagnosis, 25/28 (89.3%) among aware were receiving treatment, and 19/25 (76.0%) among treated had controlled blood pressure. The remaining hypertensives, 31/59 (52.54%), were newly diagnosed. Conclusions: Nursing staff demonstrated moderate hypertension prevalence with relatively better awareness and treatment adherence compared to general population studies, indicating the importance of focused, targeted workplace interventions.