Awareness of Causes and Health Risks Associated with High Blood Cholesterol among Men in Awka Etiti, Anambra State, Nigeria

Aim: The study aimed to determine the awareness of causes and health risks associated with high blood cholesterol (HBC) among men in Awka-Etiti, Nigeria.

Study Design: A descriptive survey research design was used.

Place and Duration: Awka-Etiti, Anambra State, Nigeria in 2019.

Methodology: The sample of the study comprised three hundred adult men aged 25 and above. A structured questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection. Face validity was used to check for the validity of the instrument. The split-half method was used to check the reliability of the instrument and obtained a coefficient of 0.61.

Results: Generally there were low levels of awareness of causes (56%) and a moderate level of awareness for risks (65%) associated with HBC in the study area. Younger age and older age as well as higher educational attainment were identified determinants of better awareness of causes and associated risks of HBC. Significance test found associations between age and awareness of causes of HBC (P=.006); and age and awareness of associated risks of HBC (P=.001). There were no significant associations between marital status and awareness of causes of HBC (P=.221); and marital status and awareness of associated risks of HBC (P=.221).

Conclusion: There are still poor awareness levels of HBC among some minority groups in the study population. Public Health education and promotion of healthy lifestyles are recommended to reduce this burden.