Prevalence of arterial hypertension in Vietnamese seafarers aboard merchant vessels: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. It is a major risk
factor for major cardiovascular events such as stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, kidney failure,
and blindness. The aim of this research is to assess the prevalence and some factors related to arterial
hypertension on Vietnamese seafarers aboard merchant vessels.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven hundred eight Vietnamese seafarers working aboard merchant ships were
examined at the Institute of Marine Medicine before going to sea during the period from January 2022
to December 2022. It was a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological study. The following parameters
were measured: blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference, buttock circumference to assess the
prevalence of hypertension, overweight, and obesity. Seafarers we directly interviewed about workplace
on ships and physical exercise, smoking tobacco, alcohol abuse, and anxiety symptoms to identify several
factors associated with hypertension.
RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension in seafarers was 32.9%, prehypertension 26.4%, overweight
32.4%, obesity 13.3%, abdominal obesity 47.7%. Factors related to hypertension of seafarers included: job
duration at sea > 10 years, odds ratio (OR) = 8.23 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.34–17.27); non-officers,
OR = 2.11 (95% CI 1.45–2.82); engine room crew, OR = 2.11 (95% CI 1.45–3.58); obesity, OR = 3.34
(95% CI 2.15–5.63); abdominal obesity, OR = 9.12 (95% CI 4.23–18.45); current smoking, OR = 1.32
(95% CI 1.02–1.99); irregular exercise, OR =1.43 (95% CI 1.03–2.18); anxiety symptoms, OR = 1.56 (95%
CI 1.08–2.27).
CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension is a health problem for Vietnamese seafarers. To minimise hypertension, seafarers
need to adjust their lifestyle, increase regular exercise and improve psychological issues on board.