Prevalence of Uncontrolled Hypertension and Its Associated Factors among Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Iran

Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) is the leading cause of premature death, making its control crucial. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension and its associated factors among healthcare workers in Southern Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the registration data from the Employee Health Cohort Study. Uncontrolled HTN was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mmHg in HTN patients on-treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression with a significance level of p<0.05. Out of 5,925 healthcare workers, 381 had hypertension, with 358 (93%) receiving treatment. Among those treated, 241 (67%) had uncontrolled HTN. Factors associated with uncontrolled HTN were male sex (OR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.84 – 5.06), duration of HTN (OR = 1.90, 95% CI:1.03 – 3.48), physical activity (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.18 – 0.66) and diabetes (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27 – 0.97). This study showed a high prevalence of uncontrolled HTN among health workers in southern Iran. Key associated factors included sex, duration of HTN, physical activity and diabetic. These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions to address modifiable risk factors and improve the management and control of HTN among healthcare workers.