Mental Health Care Centre, Private Bag 13215, Windhoek, Namibia.
Department of Statistics and Population Studies, University of Namibia, P. O. Box 40933, Ausspannplatz, Windhoek, Namibia.
Ghana Med J. 2022 Dec;56(4):285-294. doi: 10.4314/gmj.v56i4.7.
To determine the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people with mental illness attending the Mental Health Care Centre, Windhoek, Namibia.
Observational, cross-sectional study.
Mental health Care Centre, Windhoek Central Hospital. Namibia.
Adult patients with a mental illness attending the Mental Health Care Centre, Windhoek.
Within a systematic random sampling method, 385 adult patients with mental illness were recruited between May and December 2017.
Validated assessment tools were used. Descriptive summary statistics and Chi-squared tests of association were conducted.
One-third (31.7%) of participants used alcohol, 21% used nicotine, 21.3% had hypertension, 55% were over-weight or obese, 59.2% of females and 11.5% of males had abdominal obesity. About twenty per cent (19.9%) of participants did meet the World Health Organisation recommended level of activity, while more than two-thirds of participants did not participate in moderate or vigorous physical activities. The patient's psychiatric condition was significantly associated with alcohol use (Chi-square=20.450, p=0.002) and physical activity (Chi-square=20.989, p=0.002). The psychiatric condition was not associated with the waist circumference and gender of the participant.
The increased prevalence of CVD risk factors in people with mental illness calls for mental health practitioners to screen, monitor and manage these risk factors regularly. Systematically screening and monitoring for cardiovascular risk factors is likely to contribute to National targets and significantly impact cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people with mental illness.
This work was financed by internal resources of the Mental Health Care Centre, Windhoek Central Hospital.
确定纳米比亚温得和克心理健康保健中心就诊的精神疾病患者心血管疾病（CVD）危险因素的流行情况。
观察性、横断面研究。
纳米比亚温得和克中央医院心理健康保健中心。
在温得和克心理健康保健中心就诊的成年精神疾病患者。
在系统随机抽样方法中，于 2017 年 5 月至 12 月间招募了 385 名成年精神疾病患者。
使用了经过验证的评估工具。进行了描述性汇总统计和卡方检验。
三分之一（31.7%）的参与者饮酒，21%使用尼古丁，21.3%患有高血压，55%超重或肥胖，59.2%女性和 11.5%男性腹部肥胖。约 20%（19.9%）的参与者没有达到世界卫生组织推荐的活动水平，而超过三分之二的参与者没有参加适度或剧烈的身体活动。患者的精神状况与饮酒（卡方=20.450，p=0.002）和体力活动（卡方=20.989，p=0.002）显著相关。精神状况与参与者的腰围和性别无关。
精神疾病患者心血管疾病危险因素的患病率增加，这呼吁精神卫生从业人员定期筛查、监测和管理这些危险因素。系统地筛查和监测心血管危险因素可能有助于实现国家目标，并对精神疾病患者的心血管发病率和死亡率产生重大影响。
这项工作由温得和克中央医院心理健康保健中心的内部资源提供资金。
