evaluating the impact of noise exposure on the increasing prevalence of hypertension and related conditions in lagos metropolis, nigeria

Background and aims: hypertension (htn) is increasing in nigeria, with noise exposure identified as a key co-factor. however, scientific evidence remains limited. this study assessed the link between noise exposure and htn in iju ishaga and ifako, lagos, nigeria. methods: structured questionnaires were employed to collect demographic information, data on noise sources, exposure duration, blood pressure levels, and associated diseases from 200 consenting participants. results: htn prevalence was 39% in iju ishaga and 7% in ifako, with females being the majority. significant associations (p<0.001) between htn and noise sources were noted, with noise from people having the highest prevalence (16% in iju ishaga, 5% in ifako), followed by vehicular noise (11% in iju ishaga only) and occupational noise (9% in iju ishaga, 2% in ifako). in addition, there were significant associations (p<0.001) between htn prevalence and daily exposure durations, with the highest prevalence (12%) observed in those exposed for 16–24 hours. statistical analysis established a significant association (95% confidence interval [ci]: 3.57–20.21) between the two locations and htn prevalence. however, concerning gender, the results indicated no significant association (95% ci: 0.33–1.28) with htn prevalence. except for occupational noise and loud music, all other sources of noise showed a significant association (p<0.05) with the prevalence of htn in the study area. eventually, the duration of noise exposure had a significant association with htn, except for 3–5 hours of exposure. conclusion: our findings confirmed an association between noise exposure and htn, highlighting the need for noise reduction measures to address this health issue.