INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among health workers (HWs) and non-health workers (NHWs) in a large hospital in Singapore.

METHODSA cross-sectional prevalence survey of 3,384 hospital staff was conducted. The study comprised a self-administered questionnaire, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements, and laboratory analysis of fasting blood samples of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and plasma glucose. HWs were doctors and nurses, while NHWs were health administrators, facility staff, clerks and administrative personnel.

RESULTSA total of 3,384 out of 3,987 eligible staff (response rate 84.9%) participated in the survey. The majority of the participants were female (81%, n = 2,755), and 64% (n = 2,179) were 20-39 years old. HWs comprised almost two-thirds of the staff employed (61.3%, n = 2076), of whom 87.7% were female, while 72.5% of NHWs were female. Compared to HWs, NHWs had a higher adjusted (age, ethnic group and gender) prevalence of personal history of diabetes mellitus (adjusted prevalence rate ratio [PRR] 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-2.64), cigarette smoking (adjusted PRR 1.85, 95% CI 1.48-2.32), obesity (adjusted PRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05-1.75) and elevated systolic pressure (adjusted PRR 1.74, 95% CI 1.31-2.31).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in NHWs is higher than that in HWs. Health promotion programmes should address this captive and neglected audience in healthcare organisations.