Association between sleep patterns, dietary habits, and work stress and hypertension incidence at Medan Johor Community Health Center

Abstract

Background: Hypertension has emerged as a major public health challenge in urban settings such as Medan City, where modern lifestyle transformations have led to deteriorated sleep quality, imbalanced dietary patterns, and elevated work-related stress levels among the working-age population. This study aimed to analyze the association between sleep patterns, dietary habits, and work-related stress with the incidence of hypertension at the Medan Johor Community Health Center. 

Method: A quantitative analytical observational study employing a cross-sectional design was conducted. The study population comprised all primary hypertension patients aged 20 to 40 years registered at the health center, from which 99 participants were selected using purposive sampling based on predefined eligibility criteria. Data collection utilized validated modified instruments including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Food Frequency Questionnaire, and Workplace Stress Scale, alongside direct blood pressure measurements using a sphygmomanometer. Univariate analysis described frequency distributions, while bivariate analysis employed the Chi-square test with a significance level of α=0.05.

Results: The results revealed that the majority of respondents exhibited poor sleep quality (64.6%), moderate dietary habits (58.6%), moderate work-related stress levels (55.6%), and confirmed hypertension (62.6%). Bivariate analysis demonstrated statistically significant associations between sleep patterns and hypertension incidence (p<0.001), dietary habits and hypertension incidence (p<0.001), and work-related stress and hypertension incidence (p<0.001).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that poor sleep quality, unhealthy dietary patterns, and elevated work-related stress are significantly associated with increased hypertension risk. The study concludes that multidimensional lifestyle interventions addressing sleep hygiene, nutritional balance, and workplace stress management are essential for hypertension prevention and control in primary health care settings.