Prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases and preventive practices among nurses at Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are one of the major health and development challenges of the 21st century and currently the burden of NCDs is a significant health issues in Sri Lanka. Nurses are known to suffer from health problems due to the nature of the work especially NCDs due to the physical and stressful nature of work. Thus, the study was to determine the prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases and preventive practices among nurses at Colombo South Teaching Hospital (CSTH). A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 384 nursing officers at CSTH in Sri Lanka and participants were recruited using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a self-administration questionnaire and anthropometric measures were also taken by using standard measurement tools. Data were analyzed using SPSS (ver.20) statistical software. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Review Committees, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and CSTH. A majority of the participants were females (92.4 %) and the mean age was 31.49 (±9.02) years. The BMI > 25Kg/m2 was 54.9% and the BMI < 18.5 Kg/m2 was 5.7%. Waist Hip ratio more than the normal among male and female was 48.2% and 84.5% respectively. The isolated systolic hypertension and chronic hypertension among all participants was 13.6% and 31% respectively. A majority of participants (82%) had engaged in light physical activities. Consumption of alcohol was 14.3% among all the participants. Second-hand smoking exposure was 27.3%. The majority (99%) were consuming deep fried foods. A considerably high percentage of females (70.9%) were not attending cervical cancer screening and self-breast examination (43.6%). Risk factors for NCDs among nurses at CSTH were high among the study population. Thus, education programmes on screening tests and lifestyle modification need to be implemented to prevent NCDs.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are one of the major health and development challenges of the 21st century and currently the burden of NCDs is a significant health issues in Sri Lanka. Nurses are known to suffer from health problems due to the nature of the work especially NCDs due to the physical and stressful nature of work. Thus, the study was to determine the prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases and preventive practices among nurses at Colombo South Teaching Hospital (CSTH). A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 384 nursing officers at CSTH in Sri Lanka and participants were recruited using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a self-administration questionnaire and anthropometric measures were also taken by using standard measurement tools. Data were analyzed using SPSS (ver.20) statistical software. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Review Committees, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and CSTH. A majority of the participants were females (92.4 %) and the mean age was 31.49 (±9.02) years. The BMI > 25Kg/m2 was 54.9% and the BMI < 18.5 Kg/m2 was 5.7%. Waist Hip ratio more than the normal among male and female was 48.2% and 84.5% respectively. The isolated systolic hypertension and chronic hypertension among all participants was 13.6% and 31% respectively. A majority of participants (82%) had engaged in light physical activities. Consumption of alcohol was 14.3% among all the participants. Second-hand smoking exposure was 27.3%. The majority (99%) were consuming deep fried foods. A considerably high percentage of females (70.9%) were not attending cervical cancer screening and self-breast examination (43.6%). Risk factors for NCDs among nurses at CSTH were high among the study population. Thus, education programmes on screening tests and lifestyle modification need to be implemented to prevent NCDs.