Original article
English
Azza SH Greiw 1, Zahira Gad 2, Ahmed Mandil 2, Mervat Wagdi 3, Ali Elneihoum 4
1-Department of Family & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gar-Younis University, Libya 2-Department of Epidemiology, High Institute of Public Health (HIPH), University of Alexandria, Egypt 3-Department of Family Health, High Institute of Public Health (HIPH), University of Alexandria, Egypt 4-Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gar-Younis University, Libya
IJMBS 2010, 2(4):168-177
Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are considered major health and economic burden throughout, the world. This study was conducted to estimate the magnitude of 3 major CVD [namely: hypertension, ischemic heart diseases (IHD) and stroke] and their possible risk factors and to suggest a prevention and control plan for these diseases.
Methods: The study design was cross-sectional. Multi- stage random sampling technique was used at different schools in Benghazi, Libya. A sample of 1200 teachers was randomly selected. Three formats were used for data collection. These included a self-administered questionnaire; a standardized Rose CVD interview questionnaire, as well as a special form for collecting data on: anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, clinical examination as well as results of laboratory investigations and ECG findings. Statistical analysis was done used SPSS, and included bivariate & multivariate logistic regression analyses ( MLR).
Results: The prevalence of hypertension and IHD were 15.1 % and 2.7 % respectively while no cases of stroke could be detected in the study-sample. The selected CVD were found to be independently predicted (in MLR analysis) according to OR (CI) by age, gender, family history of hypertension, BMI, smoking index, fasting blood sugar level, and HDL at 95 % level of significance.
Conclusion: Risk factors for hypertension & IHD among school teachers in Benghazi, Libya included age, BMI, fasting blood sugar, gender, smoking index, HDL & family history of hypertension. There is thus an urgent need for intensive health education intervention for this population- group, initiation and implementation of a national program for CVD risk factors assessment and promotion of an overall healthy lifestyle for school teachers through the use of health education which should be directed to smoking health related problems.
Keywords: Prevalence, hypertension, IHD, school teachers, Libya and Risk factors.
Link/DOI: http://journals.sfu.ca/ijmbs/index.php/ijmbs/article/view/77/212