Factors Associated with Cardiovascular Risk among Employees of a Private Hospital in Bangkok

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to examine the level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and to identify factors associated with CVD risk among employees of a private hospital in Bangkok. The sample consisted of 261 employees, selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using research instruments that included a personal information form, a behavioral questionnaire, and the Thai CV Risk Score assessment for estimating the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease. Instrument quality was verified, yielding IOC values ranging from 0.80 to 1.00. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics—frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation—and inferential statistics, including Pearson’s correlation and Spearman’s rank correlation. The results showed that the average age of participants was 34.37±9.26 years. Most were female (78.9%), single (65.9%), held a bachelor’s degree (54.8%), and had a monthly income greater than 20,000 THB (54.0%). The mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.21 kg/m², with 37.5% classified as normal weight. Regarding health behaviors, 44.4% reported no exercise, 62.8% experienced moderate stress, and 59.8% slept an average of 5-6 hours per night. Assessment of cardiovascular risk revealed that the majority of participants had a low 10-year CVD risk (99.23%). Analysis of personal factors associated with CVD risk showed significant correlations with age (r=0.698, p<0.001), education level (r=0.315, p<0.001), hypertension (r=0.371, p<0.001), dyslipidemia (r=0.261, p<0.001), cholesterol level (r=0.168, p=0.006), systolic blood pressure (r=0.399, p<0.001), and having a family member with heart disease, vascular disease, or stroke (r=0.357, p=0.011). All correlations were statistically significant at the 0.05 level. In contrast, no significant associations were found between behavioral factors and CVD risk.