Health Risk Communication and Awareness of Bad Cholesterol Build Up Among Sedentary Workers: A Qualitative Analyses

The growing culture of sedentary living has remained a subject of concern in the contemporary time given its grave implication for the health wellbeing of individuals and society at large. Interestingly, research has over time demonstrated that sedentary lifestyle is associated with a host of health risks, including: obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes type two, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, mental health, depression and anxieties among others. However, among health risks of sedentary lifestyle is high cholesterol build-up, also known as hypercholesterolemia. Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced in human body; it may be considered good or bad. Research has shown that the build-up of bad cholesterol in human body poses a very serious health risk which causes ones arteries to become thicker, harder and less flexible and as a result slowing down, and sometimes, blocking blood flow to ones heart. This condition literature has shown, often leads to stroke and consequently death. This research work carried out investigation into the awareness of bad cholesterol build up among sedentary workers in universities in the South-East part of Nigeria. The study made use of Key In-depth Informant research design; a qualitative research method. The sample size of 18 key informants was purposively selected and interviewed. The study was anchored on the Health Belief Model. Findings demonstrated that university workers in the South East Nigeria are very aware of health risk communication on bad cholesterol build-up. That these university workers were predominantly aware of bad cholesterol messages through the social media and internet. That a significant number of the university workers were not aware that their work is a predisposing factor towards bad cholesterol build-up. The study discovered that these university workers did not really comply with the health messages on the measures to control bad cholesterol build-up among them. It is against the above finding that the researchers recommended among others that organizations with predominantly sedentary workforce should from time to time invite experts to educate their personnel on cholesterol build-up wellness to enhance their knowledge and/or encourage healthy lifestyles, healthy diets and physical activities. Furthermore, they recommended that messages on bad cholesterol build-up be developed by health campaign managers in a very clear manner for the audiences’ better understanding.