article · International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
Cardiovascular diseases represent a major global health burden, with workplace stress serving as a critical modifiable risk factor. An assessment of 133 bank workers across five institutions in Makurdi, Benue State, examined the link between occupational stress, awareness levels, and cardiovascular health. Hypertension was notably more prevalent among male employees, older staff, and those with more than a decade of service. Key factors significantly associated with high blood pressure included working overtime, higher body mass index, alcohol consumption, and poor awareness of cardiovascular risks. In addition, extended job tenure and snacking habits correlated with obesity and diabetes. Awareness of cardiovascular risk factors was generally low among the surveyed employees. These findings highlight an urgent requirement for focused workplace health initiatives addressing stress management, lifestyle habits, and cardiovascular education in high-pressure financial environments.
High-stress desk jobs can substantially increase the risk of severe cardiovascular conditions, yet workers often remain uninformed about the dangers. Demonstrating how long hours, physical inactivity, and poor dietary habits correlate with hypertension provides essential evidence for employers, healthcare providers, and policy makers seeking to improve employee well-being and reduce the burden of chronic diseases.
The findings could inform early-stage development of occupational health programmes, corporate wellness packages, and targeted cardiovascular awareness campaigns for financial institutions. Corporate human resources departments, occupational health providers, and wellness consultants could use this evidence to design stress mitigation strategies. However, because this is an observational cross-sectional study, specific commercial interventions or validated digital health tools remain at an early concept phase.
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Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of global mortality, and stress is a key modifiable risk factor, particularly in occupational settings such as banking. This study assessed the effect of stress on the cardiovascular system and the level of awareness among bank workers in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 133 bank employees from five banks. Physical measurements including blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and body mass index (BMI) were collected using standard instruments. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess lifestyle factors and awareness of cardiovascular risk factors. Chi-square tests were applied using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 26 to determine associations at a 5% significance level. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher among males (33.8%) compared to females (10.7%), and among older age groups (>40 years, 73.3%) versus younger groups (21–30 years, 28.7%). Longer job tenure (>10 years) was associated with higher prevalence of hypertension (32.1%). Significant associations were found between hypertension and lack of knowledge, overtime work, BMI and alcohol use (p<0.05). Additionally, diabetes mellitus and obesity were linked to job tenure and snacking habits. However, some variables, such as blood glucose level, smoking and exercise, showed no significant association with hypertension (p>0.05). Conclusions: The study concludes that occupational stress contributes significantly to CVD risk factors among bank workers in Makurdi. Awareness levels of cardiovascular risk factors were generally low, underscoring the need for targeted interventions on stress management and cardiovascular health.
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DOI: 10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20253578
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