title: Health workers' knowledge on future vascular disease risk in women with pre-eclampsia in south western Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pre-eclampsia progressing to eclampsia is one of the major causes of maternal death in Nigeria. Since there is long term association of pre-eclampsia with cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, renal disease, short life expectancy and mortality, it is essential to obtain obstetric history for better counseling and long term monitoring. The study assessed the knowledge of health workers about the association of pre-eclampsia with future cardiovascular disease and offering any risk-reduction counseling to women with pre-eclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a training workshop, a validated questionnaire on the association between pre-eclampsia and cardiovascular risk was distributed among health care workers working at the infant welfare and family planning clinics in Osun State. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and forty-six out of 150 health workers approached participated in the study (response rate 97.3%). Mean age of respondents was 35.6 ± 9.1 years. Median age of practice was 7 years, ranging from 1-40 years. They were medical doctors (60.3%), community health workers (26.7%) and nurses/midwives (13.0%). Most participants had good knowledge on future cardiovascular risk of pre-eclampsia. The medical doctors had better knowledge compared to nurses/midwives and community health workers (78.4 vs. 57.9 vs. 53.8%; p < 0.05). Below half (45.9%) offered risk-reduction counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of the cardiovascular risk factors was lower among the nurses/midwives and community health workers. Risk reduction counseling was quite low across all the health workers. There is need for continuous medical education and possible review of the training curriculum of the lower cadres of health workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria. adekanle2000@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Adekanle
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria. ourgodreins@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Adeyemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. sanuolowookere@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Olowookere
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. akinleye3@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Akinleye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D009549:Nigeria; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce