Gender and Cardiovascular Risks in Awka, Nigeria

Background and Objectives: Worldwide, cardiovascular risks are a recurring healthcare problem, spread across gender, in both the developed and the developing nations. Gender differences in cardiovascular risks have not been completely evaluated. This study sought to evaluate gender differences in cardiovascular risks in urban dwellers in Awka, Nigeria. Methodology: This was an unstructured, cross-sectional study conducted in Awka, Nigeria in 2017. Biodata and data on diabetes mellitus (DM) status, cigarette smoking, tobacco snuff use, hypertension (HTN) status, alcohol use, night-time sleep duration were obtained. The association between the variables and gender was determined. Results: The prevalence of smoking (Male=12.2%, Female=2.8% df=1, p=0.002)), tobacco snuff use (M=17.1%, F= 0.9%, df=1, p Conclusion: Smoking, tobacco snuff use and alcohol use, were cardiovascular risks with higher prevalence in males, whereas short night time sleep duration was more prevalent in females in this study.