Knowledge of Hypertension among the Civil Servants in Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan, Nigeria

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DOI: 10.21522/TIJPH.2013.12.01.Art012

Authors : AKANDE Abiodun Akeem

Abstract:

Hypertension, a pervasive cardiovascular condition, remains a significant public health concern globally. There is strong evidence to suggest that hypertension and its associated complications are major health challenges of the 21st century. This is a disease that imposes on multi-systems. Failure to control hypertension leads to end up with unavoidable complications, including deaths. Understanding the knowledge base is crucial for developing targeted interventions to enhance awareness and promote preventive measures within this specific demographic group. This research paper aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge about hypertension among civil servants in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining the use of clinic registers and interviews, to comprehensively assess hypertension awareness, risk factors, and preventive measures among civil servants. A total of 1124 participants visited the clinic from various Ministries /Departments/Agencies /Parastatals and sectional units within the Secretariat. This approach proved to be highly efficient in terms of time and resources, allowing for the rapid surveying of a large number of participants. However, level of education and knowledge of risk factors significantly influenced awareness of complications at 0.05 using SPSS. The findings of this research have contributed valuable insights for policymakers, and public healthcare professionals and facilitated the development of tailored strategies to mitigate the impact of hypertension within the State workforce. The majority of the respondents knew about hypertension but refused to control the hypertension. On-the-job screening and educative programmes are fundamental ways to improve knowledge about hypertension in the workplace.

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