Socio-demographic and Lifestyle Features of Cardiovascular Disease Subjects Attending Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and is influenced by demographic, behavioural, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. Aim: This study compared socio-demographic and selected lifestyle features of CVD subjects and apparently healthy controls attending the Federal Teaching Hospital, Owerri, Nigeria. Methods: A hospital-based case-control study included 100 CVD subjects and 100 apparently healthy controls. Information on age, occupation, educational status, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise frequency, sleep duration, dietary pattern, and family history of CVD was obtained using a structured questionnaire. Data were summarised using proportions and percentages. Results: The largest age group was 55–59 years among both CVD subjects (37%) and controls (35%). Former or occasional smoking was reported by 41% of CVD subjects compared with 15% of controls. Occasional alcohol consumption was reported by 41% and 24%, respectively. Regular exercise was reported by 22% of CVD subjects compared with 58% of controls, while sleep duration of <6 hours was reported by 57% and 22%, respectively. High-fat dietary patterns were reported by 45% of CVD subjects and 11% of controls, and a positive family history of CVD was reported by 61% and 45%, respectively. Conclusion: CVD subjects showed less favourable patterns for several potentially modifiable lifestyle features than controls, particularly physical activity, sleep duration, and diet. These group differences support attention to lifestyle-focused cardiovascular prevention within the study setting.