Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study at the Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Hospital, Ghana

Abstract

Background. There is a dearth of information about the burden of cardiometabolic risk factors among the Ghanaian health workforce in the Western Region. This study sought to determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors among healthcare workers at the Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Hospital in the Western Region of Ghana.Materials and Methods. A hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 112 employees of the Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Hospital was conducted. The cardiometabolic risk variables assessed were obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and diabetes. Sociodemographic parameters were also captured. The prevalence of hypertension and obesity was determined using the JNC VII panel and WHO BMI criteria for obesity classifications. Blood lipids and glucose concentrations were evaluated using standard methods.Results. The prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension was 16.07% and 52.68%, respectively. About 38.39% of participants were overweight, and 12.50% were obese. Atherogenic dyslipidaemia was 26.79%, whereas prediabetes glycaemic levels and diabetes incidence were 5.41% and 4.50%, respectively. Fifty percent (50.00%) of participants presented at least one cardiometabolic risk factor. Aging and adiposity were associated with increasing cardiometabolic risk.Conclusion. Cardiometabolic risk factors are prevalent among healthcare providers in Sefwi-Wiawso. The cardiometabolic dysregulation observed among this cohort of healthcare professionals may be modulated by age and adiposity.