preprint · medRxiv
A cross-sectional investigation assessed the prevalence of hypertension and related factors among 360 nurses working in private and public tertiary hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Overall, 28.9 percent of the participating nurses were hypertensive. The findings showed that hypertension risk rose substantially with age, especially for nurses over 55 years old, as well as with higher educational attainment and being unmarried. Lifestyle elements including physical inactivity, overweight, obesity, poor diet, and sleeping five or fewer hours per night were also associated with higher odds of high blood pressure. In addition, workplace factors played an important role: nurses experiencing work-related stress and those who managed more than 15 patients per day faced a noticeably higher risk of developing the condition.
Nurses are central to healthcare delivery, yet workplace stress and heavy workloads can jeopardise their own cardiovascular health. High rates of hypertension among nursing staff indicate an urgent need for hospital managers and occupational health programmes to address manageable lifestyle factors and daily patient loads, ensuring health workers remain healthy enough to sustain essential medical care.
The findings could inform early-stage hospital wellness programmes, staff scheduling policies, or workplace occupational health interventions aimed at reducing nurse workload and cardiovascular risk. However, the abstract describes an observational, cross-sectional epidemiological study and does not evaluate or present any specific commercial product, technology, or market pathway.
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Abstract Objective Nurses face various occupational stressors that are associated with an increased risk of hypertension. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors among nurses in private and public tertiary hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between July to August 2023, among nurses from one private and one public tertiary hospital. All eligible nurses from the private hospital were recruited, while stratified random sampling was used to recruit nurses at the public hospital. Data were collected using questionnaires and physical measurements (blood pressure, weight, and height). Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure ≥130/80 mmHg, a self-reported history of hypertension, or current use of antihypertensive medication. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participants’ characteristics, and logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors independently associated with hypertension. Results Among 360 nurses [median (IQR) age 29 (27 – 31) years, 57.5% female, 60% <35 years], 28.9% were hypertensive. After adjusting for age, sex, and high cholesterol, several factors were independently associated with hypertension. Nurses aged over 55 years had significantly higher odds of hypertension (AOR 9.20; 95% CI: 5.90–14.56). Higher educational attainment (AOR 5.20; 95% CI: 2.49–11.01), being unmarried (AOR 1.91; 95% CI: 1.09–3.36), physical inactivity (AOR 3.23; 95% CI: 2.39–15.60), overweight (AOR 2.73; 95% CI: 1.29–3.75), obesity (AOR 3.30; 95% CI: 3.13–13.05), poor dietary practices (AOR 2.73; 95% CI: 1.29–13.75), and short sleep duration (≤5 hours) (AOR 4.20; 95% CI: 1.06–7.73) were significantly associated with hypertension. Work-related stress (AOR 2.86; 95% CI: 1.06–7.73) and attending to more than 15 patients per day (AOR 3.67; 95% CI: 1.32–5.40) were also associated with increased risk. Conclusion The study revealed a significant prevalence of hypertension among nurses linked to behavior and work-related factors. Interventions promoting healthier diets, physical activity, and stress management in the workplace are recommended to safeguard nurses’ health, which is essential for healthcare delivery.
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DOI: 10.1101/2025.08.19.25333974
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