Knowledge of Coronary Heart Disease and Practices on Detection and Management of Its Risk Factors among Primary Health Care Workers in Sokoto, Nigeria

Introduction: Hitherto considered to be exclusive to the developed countries, the burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) is now high and continues to rise in the developing countries. This has been attributed to the increasing prevalence of its risk factors, linked to trends in urbanization and changes in lifestyle. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of CHD and practices regarding detection and management of its risk factors among primary healthcare workers in Sokoto, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 152 PHC workers selected by universal sampling. Data were collected with a set of standardized, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire, and analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 20 statistical computer software package.

Results: Although, most 147 (96.7%) of the 152 respondents were aware of CHD, less than half of them (41.4%) have ever attended any seminar or workshop on prevention and control of CHD. Most of the respondents had good knowledge of the symptoms and signs (81.6%), risk factors (86.2%) and prevention (92.1%) of CHD, but their knowledge of detection of the risk factors of the disease was poor. The respondents’ practices on detection and management of the risk factors of CHD were sub-optimal. Barely a third of respondents consistently screen their clients and patients for the risk factors of CHD; and less than half of them consistently counsel, treat or refer their clients and patients appropriately.

Conclusion: This study showed good knowledge of the symptoms and signs, risk factors and prevention of CHD, but poor knowledge and sub-optimal practices on the detection and management of its risk factors among PHC workers in Sokoto, Nigeria. Periodic in-service training of PHC workers on detection and management of CHD risk factors is crucial to the curtailment of the emerging epidemic of CHD in the developing countries.