Investigating the Relationship between Alcohol Use and Patterns of Blood Pressure Change Due to Examination Stress among Adekunle Ajasin University Academic Staff

(Original article)

Abstract

Aim: This study examined the relationship between alcohol use and patterns of blood pressure changes due to examination stress among academic staff at the Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA).

Methods: It involved using concurrent mixed methods with quantitative and qualitative approaches. Both the questionnaire and the blood pressure and pulse rate reading were used as instruments in data collection. The examined population includes all academic staff of AAUA. Multistage sampling techniques were used to select participants for the study. In stage one, a simple random sampling technique was used to select five faculties of the university. In stage two, systematic sampling techniques were used to select participants for the study; academic staff in every 5th academic staff office at the selected faculties were selected as a sample frame. Two instruments were used in gathering information for this study. The instruments were a self-constructed questionnaire and an electronic sphygmomanometer. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation at alpha level of 0.05.

Results: Findings revealed that there is a significant difference in the pattern of blood pressure before – F (3, 46) = 4.260, P < 0.05; during – F (3, 46) = 3.570, P < 0.05; and after the examination period – F (3, 46) = 3.131, P < 0.05, based on the respondents’ level of alcohol intake.

Conclusions: It is recommended that academic staff should be educated on the detrimental health consequences of consuming alcohol to avoid high blood pressure before, during and after the examination period.