Exploring the Association between Hypertension and Gender, Handedness and Stature among Patients Attending Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria

Abstract

Hypertension is a major public health challenge in Nigeria, with complex interactions between biological, demographic, and lifestyle factors influencing its prevalence and severity. This study examined the association of gender, handedness, and stature indices (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and body surface area (BSA) with hypertension among patients attending Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. A total of 103 participants (52 males, 51 females; mean age 55–64 years) were recruited, and their socio-demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics were analyzed using chi-square tests, Spearman’s correlation, regression analyses, and general linear models. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 68%, with higher occurrence in females (72.5%) than males (63.5%), though this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.394). Handedness also showed no significant relationship with hypertension (p = 0.452), despite right-handed participants exhibiting slightly higher prevalence. Correlation analysis revealed no significant associations between blood pressure parameters and stature indices. Regression models demonstrated that BMI, height, weight, and BSA accounted for only 6.1% of the variance in systolic blood pressure and 11.1% in diastolic pressure, indicating limited predictive value. Logistic regression further showed that gender, handedness, and stature were not independent predictors of hypertension status. Three-way interactions among these variables were also non-significant. Among lifestyle and clinical factors, alcohol use emerged as the strongest predictor, with alcohol users being 6.4 times more likely to develop hypertension than non-users (p = 0.022). Other variables, including physical activity, smoking, dietary patterns, and family history, showed no significant associations. This study concludes that hypertension prevalence in this population is high, but gender, handedness, and stature indices exert minimal influence on its occurrence. Targeted interventions emphasizing lifestyle modification and public health education are therefore recommended to reduce hypertension burden.