Abstract / Summary
Background: Hypertension represents a significant public health challenge globally, with university lecturers potentially facing increased risk due to occupational stress and lifestyle factors. Limited data exist on the burden of hypertension among this population; hence this study was conducted to fill that knowledge gap. Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among academic staff in Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, south-south Nigeria, between 8 th February and 19 th June, 2026. Given the relatively small and accessible size of the population, the researchers adopted the total population sampling (census) method, in which all the academic staff members were included in the study. The World Health Organization STEP-wise approach to non-communicable diseases surveillance was adapted for the study. A structured, adapted instrument titled “Hypertension Knowledge-Level among Academic Staff Questionnaire (HK-LASQ)” was used for collection of data. The reliability of the instrument was 0.86, which was established using Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20). Data collection involved the use of structured questionnaire and clinical measurement of blood pressure. The data generated from this study were analyzed using frequency tables percentages and z-test statistical tool. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS V.25.0. Results: The results revealed that, the overall knowledge of respondents on hypertension was better (67.2%), but poor in hypertension related complications (36.9%). Hypertension prevalence was 60.9% (n = 67), with 53.7% (n = 36) of participants previously diagnosed. And out of this number, 63.9% were receiving treatment. Conclusion: Despite better knowledge of hypertension as a health condition, the prevalence remains elevated among academic staff of Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University, with significant gaps in diagnosis and treatment. The high prevalence rate observed has a serious implication for institutional policy framework for hypertension that could assist in addressing risk-factors and improve healthcare access among academic staff of the Faculty of Education.