Project – Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension among Market Traders: A Study of Selected Markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Hypertension is one of the most important non-communicable diseases and cardiovascular risk factors confronting populations worldwide. It is a chronic condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries remains abnormally high, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal complications. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines hypertension in adults as blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher when measured on two different days, although clinical assessment may also take account of antihypertensive medication use and overall cardiovascular risk. Hypertension is often described as a silent condition because many affected individuals do not experience noticeable symptoms until complications develop. Consequently, regular blood-pressure measurement remains essential for detection (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025).

The global burden of hypertension has increased considerably over the past decades. According to the WHO (2025), an estimated 1.4 billion adults aged 30–79 years were living with hypertension in 2024, representing approximately one-third of adults within that age group. About two-thirds of affected adults live in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems frequently face challenges in prevention, early detection, treatment and long-term control. Of particular concern is the large proportion of people who remain unaware of their hypertensive status. The WHO estimates that approximately 600 million people with hypertension globally were unaware that they had the condition in 2024. This substantial level of undiagnosed hypertension illustrates why community-level screening and identification of population-specific risk factors remain essential components of hypertension control.

Hypertension is also a major contributor to premature death and disability. Persistent elevation of blood pressure can damage blood vessels and vital organs, increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and other cardiovascular complications. The WHO (2021) identifies hypertension as an important risk factor for heart and brain diseases and emphasises that effective treatment and lifestyle modification can substantially reduce cardiovascular risk. The burden is particularly serious in low- and middle-income countries because hypertension frequently occurs alongside rapid urbanisation, dietary changes, physical inactivity, obesity and limited access to preventive healthcare (WHO, 2021).

Nigeria is experiencing a substantial hypertension burden. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2014 estimated the overall prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria at 28.9%, with particularly low awareness of the condition. The study estimated a pooled awareness rate of only 17.4% among people with hypertension, highlighting the considerable gap between the presence of hypertension and knowledge of hypertensive status (Adeloye et al., 2015). Although the study is not recent, its findings established an important baseline for understanding the Nigerian hypertension problem.

More recent evidence indicates that the burden remains substantial. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis involving 32 population-based Nigerian studies and 49,788 participants estimated a pooled hypertension prevalence of 34.2%. The review found considerable variation between studies but concluded that approximately one in three Nigerian adults is affected by hypertension. The South-West and North-Central regions recorded relatively high point estimates, although substantial heterogeneity existed across the studies (Nwankwo et al., 2026).

The current WHO hypertension profile for Nigeria similarly demonstrates the magnitude of the problem. Among Nigerians aged 30–79 years, approximately 32% were estimated to have hypertension in 2024. Of the estimated 22 million adults in this age group living with hypertension, approximately 19.1 million did not have their hypertension controlled. Only about 13% were estimated to have controlled blood pressure. These figures suggest that the challenge in Nigeria extends beyond the development of hypertension to include inadequate detection, treatment and control (WHO, 2025).

The causes and determinants of hypertension are multifactorial. Some risk factors are non-modifiable, including increasing age, genetic predisposition and family history, while others are modifiable. Major modifiable risk factors include unhealthy diet, excessive salt intake, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Other social and environmental conditions can also influence blood pressure, including socioeconomic circumstances, occupational patterns, stress and access to healthcare (WHO, 2025).

Dietary behaviour is particularly important in the development and management of hypertension. High intake of dietary salt, saturated fats and highly processed foods can increase cardiovascular risk, while diets rich in fruits and vegetables are generally associated with healthier cardiovascular profiles. In many urban Nigerian communities, changes in food consumption have accompanied urbanisation and changing lifestyles. People who spend long hours at work may frequently depend on convenient foods purchased around their workplaces. For market traders, this may include fried foods, salty snacks, processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, depending on the market environment and individual preferences.

Physical inactivity is another important risk factor. Although market trading may involve movement, not all forms of market work provide sufficient physical activity. Traders who spend prolonged periods sitting in shops or stalls, particularly those whose businesses involve waiting for customers, may have sedentary workdays. The distinction between being occupationally present in a market and engaging in adequate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is therefore important when assessing hypertension risk among traders.

Obesity and excess body weight are also closely associated with elevated blood pressure. Excess body weight can contribute to increased vascular resistance and other physiological changes that raise blood pressure. In Nigeria, increasing urbanisation and changes in dietary and physical activity patterns have contributed to the growing importance of overweight and obesity as cardiovascular risk factors. In the Abia State Non-Communicable Diseases and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Survey, Ogah et al. (2013) identified age and indices of obesity as important predictors of blood pressure. Their findings demonstrated that hypertension was already a significant public-health problem within Abia State.

The Abia State study is particularly important for the present research because it provides evidence from the same state in which Aba South Local Government Area is located. Ogah et al. (2013) conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey involving almost 3,000 participants from rural and urban communities across Abia State. About 31% of the participants had systolic hypertension, while diastolic hypertension affected more than one-fifth of the population. Age and obesity indices were among the strongest predictors of blood pressure. The authors concluded that hypertension was prevalent in both rural and urban areas of Abia State (Ogah et al., 2013).

Market traders constitute an important occupational group for studying hypertension because markets are major centres of economic activity in Nigerian cities. Traders may spend long hours at their business premises, often beginning work early and closing late. The occupational environment can expose them to prolonged working hours, psychological stress, irregular meals, limited opportunities for structured exercise and difficulties accessing healthcare during working hours. The need to remain at their business locations may also discourage some traders from attending routine health screening or seeking medical care promptly.

Evidence from Nigerian market populations demonstrates that hypertension is already a significant concern among traders. Odugbemi, Onajole, and Osibogun (2012) conducted a cross-sectional study among 400 traders in Tejuosho Market in Lagos State. Hypertension was found in 34.8% of the traders. The study also identified very high levels of physical inactivity, with 92% of participants reported as physically inactive, while overweight and obesity were also present. The authors recommended that preventive and health-promotion interventions for traders should be incorporated into market activities because conventional approaches may not adequately reach this occupational population.

The findings from Lagos are relevant to the present study because Aba South, like many major urban commercial centres in Nigeria, has a large population of traders whose livelihood depends on daily market activities. The market environment is not simply a place of economic exchange; it is also an occupational setting where health promotion and screening activities can potentially be delivered. Consequently, determining the burden of hypertension among traders can provide evidence for interventions that are integrated into market activities rather than relying exclusively on facility-based healthcare.

Further evidence has emerged from traders in other parts of Nigeria. A study among traders in Rukuba-Road Satellite Market in Jos, Plateau State, found a hypertension prevalence of 32.2%. Importantly, 55.8% of the traders who were hypertensive were unaware of their hypertensive status. The study also identified age and body mass index as statistically significant factors associated with hypertension, while logistic regression identified age and BMI as predictors of hypertension (Nigerian Journal of Medicine study, 2022).

Similarly, a study among market traders in Jos North Local Government Area found a hypertension prevalence of 26.6%. The study identified several cardiovascular risk factors among traders, including overweight, obesity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol use and sedentary behaviour. Alcohol use, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption and obesity were associated with hypertension (Prevalence of noncommunicable disease risk factors among market traders in Jos North LGA, 2021).

More recent Nigerian evidence from Ekpoma further illustrates the vulnerability of market traders. Alenoghena et al. (2026) studied 276 market traders in a peri-urban town in South-South Nigeria and found that 29.3% were hypertensive, while an additional 55.4% were pre-hypertensive. Only 15.2% had normal blood pressure. Hypertension was significantly associated with increasing age, higher body weight, frequent consumption of fried foods and red meat, excessive salt use, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity. The study also found that some traders delayed seeking formal medical care because of time constraints, cost and distrust of formal healthcare.

These findings are important because they demonstrate that hypertension among traders cannot be explained by a single factor. Rather, the condition is influenced by a combination of demographic, nutritional, behavioural, occupational and healthcare-related factors. Age may increase risk through physiological changes in the cardiovascular system, while obesity, poor dietary practices and inactivity may further increase blood pressure. At the same time, limited health-seeking behaviour may result in delayed diagnosis and treatment.

The situation in Abia State is particularly relevant. Ezenwa, Iheme, Okonkwo, and Adeoye-Agomoh (2022) examined hypertension and health-seeking behaviour among 1,360 market women aged 15–70 years drawn from eight markets across Abia State. The study found that 20.7% of the participants were hypertensive, while 77.9% had normal blood pressure. The study also reported that 43.5% of respondents indicated that market activities prevented them from seeking prompt medical treatment and that many respondents did not regularly monitor their blood pressure. The researchers concluded that health-seeking behaviour was significantly associated with blood-pressure levels and recommended improved health-seeking practices among market women.

The Abia market-women study demonstrates the importance of examining hypertension within the context of traders’ everyday economic activities. A trader may understand that hypertension is dangerous but still postpone screening because leaving the stall could mean losing customers or income. Similarly, the cost of consultation, transportation and medication may discourage regular healthcare utilisation. Consequently, socioeconomic and occupational factors can influence both the detection and management of hypertension.

Health-seeking behaviour is particularly important because hypertension may exist without obvious symptoms. Individuals who associate illness with pain or other visible symptoms may not consider routine blood-pressure measurement necessary when they feel healthy. The WHO (2025) emphasises that most people with hypertension do not experience symptoms and that blood-pressure measurement is the most reliable means of detecting the condition. This characteristic makes hypertension especially problematic among occupational groups that have limited contact with preventive healthcare services.

Stress may also be relevant to traders. Market trading can involve competition, fluctuating prices, demanding customers, financial uncertainty, insecurity, transportation challenges and pressure to meet daily sales targets. Persistent psychosocial stress may contribute indirectly to hypertension through behavioural pathways such as unhealthy eating, poor sleep, alcohol use and physical inactivity. However, the relationship between occupational stress and hypertension is complex and should be assessed empirically rather than assumed. This makes occupational and behavioural characteristics important variables in studies involving market traders.

The physical environment of markets may further influence traders’ health behaviours. Market traders may have limited access to clean and affordable healthy meals, safe drinking water, recreational spaces and convenient healthcare services. In addition, some traders may work for many hours without planned breaks. Such conditions can encourage irregular eating patterns and reduce opportunities for exercise and health screening. The market can therefore be considered an occupational environment with its own health risks and opportunities for intervention.

Another concern is the interaction between hypertension and other non-communicable disease risk factors. Obesity, diabetes, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity frequently cluster within individuals and communities. The presence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors can increase an individual’s overall risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, screening traders for blood pressure while also assessing weight status, dietary practices, physical activity, alcohol use, tobacco use and family history can provide a more comprehensive understanding of hypertension determinants.

The consequences of uncontrolled hypertension are significant for individuals, households and the wider economy. Stroke, heart disease and kidney disease can lead to long-term disability, reduced productivity, medical expenses and premature death. For traders whose livelihoods depend on their ability to work daily, the development of a disabling cardiovascular complication may have particularly serious economic consequences. A trader who becomes incapacitated may lose income while also facing increased healthcare expenditure. Thus, hypertension prevention and early detection among market traders have implications not only for individual health but also for household economic stability.

The WHO (2021) recommends evidence-based treatment and long-term management of hypertension, including lifestyle modification and appropriate pharmacological treatment when indicated. However, treatment can only be initiated when hypertension is detected and diagnosed. Therefore, community screening is an important first step. The WHO hypertension guideline also emphasises the importance of accessible and sustainable approaches to hypertension treatment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the burden of cardiovascular disease is substantial.

Despite the growing body of evidence on hypertension in Nigeria, there remains a need for more location-specific studies among occupational groups. Existing research has examined traders in Lagos, Jos, Enugu and other Nigerian settings, while studies in Abia State have considered both the general population and market women. However, the burden and determinants of hypertension may vary according to the characteristics of particular markets, socioeconomic conditions, trader demographics, dietary practices, occupational routines and access to healthcare.

Aba South Local Government Area is an important commercial environment within Abia State. The area contains major markets and a large population of individuals whose livelihoods depend on trading and related commercial activities. Traders in these markets represent an important population for community-based hypertension screening because their occupational routines may make them less likely to participate in conventional preventive health programmes. Yet there is a need for current empirical evidence on the prevalence of hypertension specifically among traders in selected markets within Aba South.

The present study is therefore designed to assess the prevalence and determinants of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State. The study will examine the blood-pressure status of traders and assess selected demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural, nutritional and health-related factors that may be associated with hypertension. The findings are expected to provide useful evidence for designing targeted screening, health education and cardiovascular disease prevention programmes within the market environment.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Hypertension has become a major public-health problem globally and in Nigeria. Although it is preventable and treatable, a large proportion of people living with hypertension remain undiagnosed, untreated or inadequately controlled. The WHO (2025) estimates that approximately 1.4 billion adults aged 30–79 years globally had hypertension in 2024, while approximately 600 million were unaware of their condition. In Nigeria, about 22 million adults aged 30–79 years were estimated to have hypertension, but only about 13% were estimated to have controlled blood pressure.

The problem is particularly concerning because hypertension is often asymptomatic. A trader may have significantly elevated blood pressure and continue working normally without recognising the presence of disease. Consequently, reliance on symptoms as a reason for seeking medical care can result in delayed diagnosis. This is especially problematic among people who spend most of their productive hours in markets and may not routinely visit health facilities.

Market traders constitute a large and economically important occupational population in Nigeria. However, their health needs may receive less attention than those of workers in formal employment. Formal-sector employees may have access to occupational health services, periodic medical examinations or employer-supported health insurance, whereas many traders operate within the informal economy and are responsible for arranging and financing their own healthcare. The market environment may therefore create particular barriers to preventive screening and continuous healthcare.

Existing evidence indicates that hypertension is prevalent among Nigerian traders. Odugbemi et al. (2012) reported a hypertension prevalence of 34.8% among traders in Tejuosho Market, Lagos, together with high levels of physical inactivity, overweight and obesity. A study among traders in Jos reported a prevalence of 32.2%, with more than half of hypertensive participants unaware of their status. These findings demonstrate that traders may represent a population with substantial but partly undetected cardiovascular risk.

Evidence from Abia State is equally concerning. Ogah et al. (2013), in a state-wide cardiovascular risk survey, found a high burden of hypertension and identified age and obesity indices as major predictors of blood pressure. More specifically, Ezenwa et al. (2022) found that 20.7% of market women across eight Abia State markets were hypertensive. They also reported poor health-seeking behaviour, with 43.5% indicating that market activities prevented them from seeking prompt medical treatment.

These findings suggest that market traders in Abia State may face a combination of biological, behavioural and occupational factors that increase their vulnerability to hypertension. Nevertheless, the existing Abia State evidence does not adequately establish the current prevalence and determinants of hypertension among traders specifically within selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area. Results obtained from a state-wide population survey or from market women across several LGAs may not accurately represent traders operating within Aba South.

Another problem is the presence of modifiable lifestyle factors. Nigerian studies among traders have identified physical inactivity, obesity, inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables, alcohol use, high salt intake and unhealthy dietary patterns as relevant risk factors. The recent study among market traders in Ekpoma similarly found significant associations between hypertension and age, body weight, fried-food and red-meat consumption, excessive salt intake, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity (Alenoghena et al., 2026).

However, there is insufficient local evidence regarding the extent to which these factors contribute to hypertension among traders in Aba South. Without local data, health-promotion interventions may be based on assumptions rather than evidence. For example, an intervention focused only on reducing salt intake may fail to address obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption or barriers to healthcare access. Conversely, an intervention focused only on screening may identify hypertension without addressing the lifestyle and occupational factors that contribute to its development and poor control.

Health-seeking behaviour represents another important concern. Ezenwa et al. (2022) found that market activities prevented a substantial proportion of market women in Abia State from seeking prompt medical treatment. This finding is important because the market is the primary source of livelihood for many traders. Leaving a business stall to attend a clinic may result in loss of customers or income, particularly where traders operate on a daily cash-flow basis. Consequently, traders may postpone medical consultations until symptoms become severe.

The economic cost of hypertension may also be substantial. Uncontrolled hypertension can result in stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and other cardiovascular complications. Such conditions can reduce a trader’s ability to work and create significant healthcare expenditure for the affected individual and family. Early identification and management are therefore important not only for preventing disease complications but also for protecting the economic productivity of market households.

There is also a potential problem of inadequate routine blood-pressure monitoring among traders. The Abia State market-women study found that almost half of respondents monitored their blood pressure when visiting a hospital because of illness, suggesting that blood-pressure assessment may be more reactive than preventive. This pattern is problematic because hypertension can remain asymptomatic for long periods. Regular screening within market environments could potentially identify affected individuals earlier.

Furthermore, existing studies have reported different prevalence estimates among Nigerian traders. The prevalence of hypertension was 34.8% among traders in Lagos, 32.2% in a Jos market, 26.6% among market traders in Jos North, 20.7% among market women across Abia State and 29.3% in a recent study of market traders in Ekpoma. The variation may reflect differences in age, sex distribution, market characteristics, definitions of hypertension, sampling methods and underlying population risk. It also demonstrates why location-specific studies are necessary rather than assuming that a prevalence estimate from one market applies to another.

The absence of sufficiently current and location-specific evidence from selected markets in Aba South creates a knowledge gap. Although Aba is one of the important commercial centres in southeastern Nigeria and Abia State has documented a significant hypertension burden, there is a need to determine the current burden specifically among traders operating within the selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area.

The problem, therefore, is not merely the existence of hypertension among Nigerian adults. The critical concern is that a potentially substantial proportion of market traders may have undiagnosed or uncontrolled hypertension while simultaneously being exposed to modifiable risk factors and occupational barriers to healthcare. If the magnitude of the problem and its determinants are not established, opportunities for targeted prevention, screening, health education and early treatment may be missed.

It is against this background that this study seeks to determine the prevalence and determinants of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State. Specifically, the study will determine the prevalence of hypertension and examine selected demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, nutritional and health-related factors associated with hypertension among the traders.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and determinants of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. determine the prevalence of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area;
2. assess the blood-pressure status of the market traders;
3. determine the level of awareness of hypertension among the market traders;
4. identify selected demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with hypertension among the traders

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What is the prevalence of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area?
2. What is the blood-pressure status of market traders in the selected markets?
3. What proportion of the market traders are aware of hypertension and their own blood-pressure status?
4. What demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with hypertension among the market traders?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant association between selected lifestyle factors and the prevalence of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be useful to market traders, healthcare professionals, government agencies, market associations, public-health practitioners, researchers and the wider community.

Market Traders

The study will provide market traders with information about hypertension, its risk factors, the importance of regular blood-pressure checks and the consequences of untreated hypertension. The findings may encourage traders to adopt healthier dietary practices, increase physical activity, reduce excessive salt and alcohol consumption and seek medical attention when necessary.

Healthcare Professionals

The findings will assist nurses, doctors, community health practitioners, dietitians and other healthcare professionals in understanding the cardiovascular health needs of market traders. The information may support the development of market-based hypertension screening, health education, counselling and referral programmes.

Market Associations

Market associations may use the findings to advocate for periodic health-screening exercises within markets. They may also facilitate health education programmes and collaborate with healthcare providers to make preventive services more accessible to traders without unnecessarily disrupting their business activities.

Government and Policymakers

The study will provide local evidence that may assist the Abia State Government and relevant health agencies in strengthening non-communicable disease prevention and control programmes. The findings may support the incorporation of market-based hypertension screening into community health strategies.

Public-Health Practitioners

Public-health practitioners may use the findings to design targeted interventions addressing specific risk factors identified among traders. Such interventions may include dietary counselling, weight-management programmes, physical-activity promotion, blood-pressure screening and health education.

Primary Healthcare Facilities

The study may help primary healthcare facilities understand barriers that prevent market traders from accessing preventive services. Healthcare facilities can use such information to design outreach services that are more compatible with the working schedules of traders.

Researchers and Students

The study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge on hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors among occupational groups in Nigeria. It will also provide a useful reference for future studies involving traders, informal-sector workers, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.

Community

The wider community may benefit from increased awareness of hypertension and its prevention. Since traders interact with large numbers of consumers daily, improved health awareness among traders may also facilitate wider dissemination of healthy lifestyle messages within the community.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is focused on the prevalence and determinants of hypertension among market traders in selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State.

The content scope covers blood-pressure status, awareness of hypertension, demographic characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics, family history of hypertension, dietary practices, salt consumption, physical activity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, body mass index, healthcare-seeking behaviour and blood-pressure-monitoring practices.

The study will focus on adult market traders operating within the selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area. Both male and female traders will be eligible, subject to the inclusion and exclusion criteria established in the methodology.

Geographically, the study is restricted to selected markets within Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. Findings will therefore primarily describe the selected market-trader population and should not automatically be generalised to all traders in Abia State or Nigeria.

The study will focus on hypertension and selected associated determinants. It will not constitute a comprehensive assessment of all cardiovascular diseases or all non-communicable diseases among market traders.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Blood Pressure: The force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the arteries, expressed as systolic and diastolic blood pressure in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

Hypertension: For the purpose of this study, hypertension refers to systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and/or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher, confirmed according to the study’s blood-pressure measurement protocol, or current use of prescribed antihypertensive medication.

Prevalence: The proportion or percentage of market traders found to have hypertension within the study population at the time of the study.

Determinants: Demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural, nutritional, anthropometric, familial, occupational and healthcare-related factors that may be statistically associated with hypertension among the market traders.

Market Trader: An adult who regularly engages in buying and/or selling goods or services within one of the selected markets in Aba South Local Government Area.

Lifestyle Factors: Behavioural characteristics such as dietary practices, physical activity, alcohol consumption and tobacco use that may influence an individual’s risk of developing hypertension.

Physical Inactivity: Insufficient engagement in physical activity of an intensity and duration adequate for maintaining cardiovascular health.

Body Mass Index (BMI): A measure calculated by dividing an individual’s weight in kilograms by the square of height in metres (kg/m²), commonly used to classify underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity.

Overweight: A condition in which an individual’s BMI falls within the overweight category according to accepted adult BMI classification standards.

Obesity: Excessive accumulation of body fat, commonly operationalised in adults using a BMI of 30 kg/m² or greater.

Dietary Practice: The types, quantities and frequency of foods and beverages consumed by the market traders, including patterns of salt, fried-food, fruit and vegetable consumption.

Salt Intake: The amount of dietary salt consumed by an individual through food preparation, processed foods and additional salt added to meals.

Alcohol Consumption: The intake of alcoholic beverages by the respondents, including the frequency and quantity consumed.

Tobacco Use: The smoking or other use of tobacco products by a respondent.

Health-Seeking Behaviour: The actions taken by traders to obtain healthcare, including routine screening, blood-pressure monitoring, consultation with healthcare professionals and treatment-seeking when ill.

Blood-Pressure Monitoring: The practice of having one’s blood pressure measured periodically to determine blood-pressure status.

Hypertension Awareness: The extent to which a trader knows about hypertension, its risk factors, consequences, prevention and/or knows that he or she has been previously diagnosed with hypertension.

Market Environment: The physical, social and occupational conditions within which traders conduct their daily commercial activities, including working hours, availability of food, physical activity opportunities, healthcare access and other factors that may influence health.

Project – Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension among Market Traders: A Study of Selected Markets in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State