Multilevel Analysis of 24-Hour Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Associated Factors among Police Officers in Hanoi, Vietnam

• Published in: BioMed research international Vol. 2020; no. 2020; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Hoang, Van Minh, Minh, Luu Ngoc, Do, Toan Thanh Thi, Son, Dinh Thai, Hoat, Luu Ngoc, Dao, An T. M., Mai, Phan Van
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2020; Hindawi; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis; Biomedical research; Blood pressure; Blood Pressure - physiology; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Body mass; Body mass index; Body size; Criminal investigations; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; Female; Fire prevention; Firefighters; Health aspects; Health risks; Heart beat; Heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; Heat; Humans; Humidity; Hydrometeorology; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational exposure; Occupational health; Outdoors; Police; Regression analysis; Risk management; Risk taking; Studies; Task forces; Temperature; Traffic; Traffic congestion; Traffic control; Variation; Vietnam; Weather; Winter; Work environment; Working conditions; Young Adult; Vietnam
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2020/7494906

Background. Due to long-hour outdoor working environment, policemen have been subjected to tremendous health risks including blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). In tropical countries, the temperature is extremely harsh which may get peak at above 40 Celsius degrees or drops under 8 Celsius degrees. However, the existing data on the effects of weather variation on BP and HR among police task force has been scarce in Vietnam. Aims. This study aimed to describe the variation of 24-hour BP and HR and identify factors associated with BP and HR for further appropriate interventions in order to reduce health risks from occupational exposure. Methods. Multilevel regression analysis (MLRA) was applied with two levels of influent factors. 24-hour holter measured systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HR values were the first level which should then be nested in the second level (individual). 24-hour temperature and humidity variations were extracted, respectively, from Hanoi Hydrometeorology Department. All individual characteristics and risk behaviours were measured within 24 studying hours. Results. Temperature and humidity were major factors that influenced (74%-78%) the variation of BP and HR among the policemen population. When each of the Celsius degree temperature or percentage humidity increases, the SBP goes down by 0.44 (0.11-0.77) and by 0.2 (0.33-0.77), respectively, and the DBP goes down by 0.21 (-0.05-0.48) and by 0.12 (0.02-0.22), respectively, and vice versa. Interaction between temperature and humidity was significantly influent to SBP. The farther the time section from the first time section (0-6AM) the more the variation of the BP and HR. Transition from winter to summer made SBP and DBP decrease and vice versa. Individual characteristics including body mass index (BMI), bad life styles, and stress contributed 22% to 26% to the variation of BP and HR. Traffic policemen were at the greatest risks of the outdoor ambient variation in comparison with the firefighters and office-based policemen. Conclusion. Designing and equipping appropriate uniform and outdoor facilities could help to reduce influence of temperature and humidity variation in the outdoor workplace. Besides, training and educating programs that aimed at controlling BMI, risk behaviours, and stress for police taskforce, especially the traffic policemen, should be implemented.