Cardiovascular health and lifestyle habits of hospital staff in Jeddah: A cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cardiovascular disease was responsible for over 17.9 million deaths in 2016, accounting for 31% of deaths globally and 37% of deaths in Saudi Arabia. With a lifetime risk exceeding 60% for the general population, healthcare professionals are continuously monitoring the health of others but often do not find time to care for themselves. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors; medical conditions, such as, hypertension and diabetes mellitus; stress; and attitudes and barriers against healthy lifestyle choices among healthcare professionals at King Abdulaziz University Hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among the staff at King Abdulaziz University Hospital over a period of 12 weeks. A validated questionnaire was adopted from a study that had previously been conducted in the United Kingdom. RESULTS: The study included 400 healthcare workers, of whom, 78% were clinical staff and 22% were non-clinical staff. Approximately, two-thirds of the clinical staff were aged ⩽25 years, whereas 43.2% of the non-clinical staff were aged 26–35 years. Most of the clinical staff (70.5%) were female, compared to 56.8% of the non-clinical staff. Significantly higher rates of hypertension and smoking were observed among the non-clinical staff than among the clinical staff. However, no other significant differences were observed in the prevalence of diseases between the groups. Overall, poor lifestyle, in terms of low compliance with the recommended dietary and physical activity guidelines, was observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among the clinical staff at King Abdulaziz University Hospital was not markedly different from that among the non-clinical staff, except the prevalence of hypertension and smoking, which was significantly higher among the non-clinical staff. Further studies that include staff from other institutions are recommended.