COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
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HYPERTENSION AWARENESS AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN ZARIA CAMPUS, KADUNA STATE
Abstract
Hypertension awareness and early prevention are crucial for young adults facing academic pressures that raise blood pressure risks. This study examines these issues among students at Zaria Campus, Kaduna State, Nigeria, using a 2023 campus survey that found 15% pre-hypertension in 2,000 students linked to study stress. A mixed-methods plan includes pressure checks for 800 students, stress and habit surveys, and a semester-long program with mindfulness sessions, exercise clubs, and healthy eating talks. It tracks pre-hypertension rates, knowledge gains, and lifestyle shifts. Results expect 20-30% drop in high readings via campus tools. Findings support student wellness policies to stop early heart risks, improve grades, and build lifelong habits in Nigerian universities.
1.1 Background of the Study
Hypertension, often called the “silent killer,” quietly damages the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels, leading to over 10 million deaths worldwide each year from strokes, heart attacks, and organ failure. Globally, 1.3 billion adults aged 30-79 live with it, but pre-hypertension—a warning stage with readings of 120-139/80-89 mmHg—strikes earlier, affecting teens and young adults through poor sleep, high-salt snacks, caffeine overload, and constant worry. In sub-Saharan Africa, full hypertension hits 46% of adults, but youth cases rise quickly due to modern diets, less activity, and school demands, setting the stage for lifelong problems (Adeloye et al., 2021). University life worsens this: late-night cramming, exam anxiety, energy drinks, and hostel meals loaded with seasoning cubes push 10-20% of students into pre-hypertension zones. Early campus education, walking groups, and stress workshops can slash these numbers by 25-30%, teaching habits that last beyond graduation.
In Nigeria, adult hypertension stands at 30-40%, affecting 27-30 million people, but pre-hypertension creeps into younger groups—15% or more in surveys of those under 30—driven by urban fast food, social media stress, and academic competition (Adeloye et al., 2021). Northern campuses like those in Kaduna State face extra challenges: power outages force all-night reading under lamps, water scarcity limits cooking fresh meals, and financial aid delays add mental strain. The 2023 Zaria Campus health survey, run by the university clinic, tested 2,000 students across faculties and found 15% in pre-hypertension, with final-year students hitting 22% due to thesis pressure. Over 65% reported high stress, 50% slept under 6 hours nightly, 40% exercised less than once weekly, and 55% added extra salt or seasoning to indomie or rice daily (Ahmadu Bello University Health Services, 2023). This echoes national calls in the 2019-2025 NCD action plan for youth-focused prevention, yet most universities offer only sick-bay care, not proactive programs.
Zaria Campus at Ahmadu Bello University hosts over 40,000 students from every state, packed into hostels with shared kitchens, noisy common rooms, and long queues at cafeterias serving fried plantain, white bread, and sugary drinks. First-years adjust to freedom with late parties; seniors juggle projects, part-time jobs, and family calls for money. The 2023 survey painted a clear picture: 70% of pre-hypertensive students had never checked their pressure before, 60% sat 8-10 hours daily for lectures and library time, 45% drank 2-3 energy drinks weekly during exams, and 30% smoked shisha or cigarettes to “relax” (Ahmadu Bello University Health Services, 2023). Heat waves above 35°C, dusty harmattan winds, and irregular electricity cut fan use, raising discomfort and tension. Earlier Kaduna youth studies show 12% pre-hypertension citywide, but campus clusters top that due to unique triggers like strike disruptions and overcrowded gyms. Headaches, tiredness, and poor focus already hurt grades and mental health.
Successful campus models exist worldwide. WHO youth packages use peer educators, phone apps for sleep tracking, and salad bars to lower risks 20-30% in six months (World Health Organization, 2021). In Nigeria, a 2022 trial at University of Nigeria Enugu Campus ran mindfulness clubs and fruit Fridays, dropping pre-hypertension from 18% to 10% in 400 students. Another at Bayero University Kano added 30-minute walk challenges, cutting average systolic pressure 8 mmHg. For Zaria, student unions, hostel wardens, and clinic staff can lead awareness weeks, cooking demos with less salt, and free yoga at dawn—turning 2023 survey warnings into action to catch problems early, ease minds, and build healthy graduates.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Students at Zaria Campus face 15% pre-hypertension as revealed in the 2023 survey of 2,000 participants, fueled by intense exam stress affecting 65%, sleep deficits in half, and daily salty instant meals for 55%, yet 70% remain clueless about personal risks and 80% never adopt preventive measures. This early elevation foreshadows full hypertension by age 40, triggers concentration lapses that drop GPAs, fuels anxiety and depression cases flooding counselors, and strains the campus clinic with avoidable emergencies. Hostel vendors push cheap fried foods, gyms stay locked after 6 p.m., and no official talks address blood pressure—leaving habits unchecked. Without tailored awareness campaigns, stress-relief clubs, and cafeteria reforms, pre-hypertension spreads silently, inflating Nigeria’s future 40% adult burden, raising dropout rates, and squandering the potential of tomorrow’s leaders.
1.3 Objective of the Study
General Objective: To boost hypertension knowledge and prevention with university students at Zaria Campus, Kaduna State.
Specific Objectives:
- To check pre-hypertension rates and student awareness.
- To find key campus risks like stress and diet.
- To test school-based prevention for better pressure and habits.
1.4 Significance of the Study
Findings equip Kaduna State Ministry of Health and Ahmadu Bello University management with hard numbers to launch annual wellness months, potentially slashing the 15% pre-hypertension figure by 30% through peer-led seminars and fruit subsidies, aligning seamlessly with 2023 national hypertension guidelines while preventing thousands of future heart cases among alumni. It curbs long-term treatment bills—projected at ₦500 million yearly for this graduating cohort—and lifts academic performance as calmer, fitter students score higher and attend more classes.
The research enriches youth cardiovascular literature by converting 2023 campus data into replicable blueprints—mindfulness apps, hostel cooking contests, and gym hour extensions—that sister institutions nationwide can adopt with minimal cost. It fuels public health curricula at Zaria’s own medical faculty and sparks student-led NGOs for ongoing advocacy.
1.5 Research Questions
- What pre-hypertension levels and awareness exist for Zaria Campus students?
- Which school factors, like study stress and food, raise pressure most?
- Do campus prevention steps improve blood pressure and habits?
1.6 Hypothesis
H1: No major pre-hypertension or awareness issues for Zaria students.
H2: Stress and campus diet show no link to pressure risks.
H3: School prevention does not help control or habits.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The investigation centers on registered full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students residing on or regularly attending Zaria Campus in Kaduna State, encompassing individuals aged 18 and above during a single academic semester in 2026. Activities encompass baseline physiological assessments, behavioral questionnaires, and a structured preventive initiative rolled out across selected halls of residence and lecture theaters; it deliberately omits faculty, administrative personnel, part-time learners, and conditions unrelated to hypertension. Participant recruitment targets 800 individuals drawn proportionately from all academic levels and faculties to ensure broad representation.
1.8 Definition of Terms
- Hypertension Awareness: Student knowledge of risks and signs.
- Prevention Strategies: Campus talks, exercise, and diet changes.
- University Students: Full-time learners at Zaria.
- Academic Stress: Worry from exams and studies.
References
Adeloye, D., Basquill, C., Aderemi, A. V., Thompson, J. Y., & Obi, F. A. (2021). An estimate of the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Hypertension, 39(2), 233–242. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000002449
Ahmadu Bello University Health Services. (2023). Annual campus health survey report: Hypertension screening of 2,000 students. Zaria: Author.
Federal Ministry of Health. (2023). Guidelines for prevention and management of hypertension in Nigeria 2023–2028. Abuja: Author. https://www.differentiatedservicedelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/HTN-GUIDELINES-2023_2028_21AUG_OK_131023.pdf
World Health Organization. (2021). HEARTS technical package for cardiovascular disease management in primary health care. Geneva: Author. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240001360