Original Research

Work-related stress perception and hypertension amongst health workers of a mission hospital in Oyo State, south-western Nigeria

Akinwumi O. Owolabi, Mojisola O. Owolabi, Akintayo D. OlaOlorun, Ayo Olofin
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine | Vol 4, No 1 | a307 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v4i1.307 | © 2012 Akinwumi O. Owolabi, Mojisola O. Owolabi, Akintayo D. OlaOlorun, Ayo Olofin | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 30 April 2011 | Published: 19 April 2012

About the author(s)

Akinwumi O. Owolabi, Family Medicine Department, Federal Medical Centre Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
Mojisola O. Owolabi, Family Medicine Department, Federal Medical Centre Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
Akintayo D. OlaOlorun, Family Medicine Department, Baptist Medical Centre Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
Ayo Olofin, Staff Medical Services Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Globalisation and changes in the nature of work have resulted in increasing work-related stress in people in developing countries. Work stress is at present already acknowledged as one of the epidemics of modern working life. It is associated with a number of disease conditions, such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, affective disorders, depression, disturbed metabolism (risk of Type II diabetes) and musculoskeletal disorders.

Objective: This study was a work site cross-sectional descriptive study carried out amongst the health workers at the Baptist Medical Centre Ogbomoso, Oyo State, south-western Nigeria. The aim of the study was to discern the prevalence of perceived work stress and to explore the relationship between perceived work stress and the presence of hypertension.

Methods: A total of 324 consenting health workers of the institution were administered the job demand-control questionnaire to assess work stress. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and other personal data. Measurements of blood pressure, weight and height were carried out and body mass indices were calculated.

Results: More than a quarter (26.2%) of the subjects perceived themself as stressed at work. The single largest group of hypertensive subjects was seen amongst subjects with work stress.

Conclusion: A significant number of health workers in this study is afflicted by work-related stress and perceived work stress was found to be significantly associated with higher hypertension prevalence.


Keywords

hypertension prevalence; job control; job demand; job strain; perceived work stress

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