The research findings offer valuable insights into the frequency of NCDs among healthcare workers. The study, which included 786 participants, identified several associations between socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, family history of chronic diseases, stress levels, diet-related factors, and sleep habits with the frequency of NCDs.

In this study, the frequency of NCDs among healthcare workers was found to be more one one-third, which is higher than the 29.4% reported in a study among nursing professionals at a charitable hospital in South Brazil [27]. Additionally, a study involving 6,848 healthcare workers across four sub-Saharan African countries reported lower frequency rates of chronic diseases: 9.7% in Nigeria, 11.8% in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 13.5% in Côte d’Ivoire, and 20.6% in Madagascar [28]. The variation in frequency observed across different studies can be attributed to factors such as differences in healthcare systems, working conditions, and lifestyle factors among healthcare workers in various regions.

Results from the study indicate that healthcare workers without a family history of NCDs have a 73.5% reduced risk of developing these conditions. This finding is consistent with similar research at a secondary healthcare facility in Ghana, where individuals without a family history of NCDs were 30% less likely to suffer from them, emphasizing the impact of genetic factors on the risk for NCDs [26]. This trend was also observed in a study conducted among healthcare workers in the Gaza Strip, Palestine where 67% of participants reported having a family history of NCDs [29].

The study identified a 14.2% frequency of hypertension, which surpasses the 5.4–11.3% range reported in other studies across sub-Saharan Africa [28]. In contrast, a study from a tertiary cancer hospital in Varanasi, India, reported a higher frequency of 17.0%, which likely reflects the increased stress levels among the healthcare workers. The frequency of diabetes in this study is 12.8%, greater than the globally age-adjusted prevalence of 9.8%, it is also markedly higher than the 6.43% observed in the tertiary cancer hospital, indicating potential issues with diabetes management [10, 13]. Moreover, the dyslipidemia rate of 13.05% closely aligns with the 12.5% reported in the study conducted in Varanasi. These results underscore significant regional health disparities and the necessity for targeted health interventions [13].

The study showcased a significant association between participants aged 40 and above and the frequency of NCDs. This resonates with the national data showing a 19% mortality probability from NCDs for those aged 30–70, pointing out the critical impact of age on NCD frequency and outcomes [30]. Another notable finding is that 56.9% of those aged ≥ 40 years are affected by NCDs, supported by the Nepalese STEPs Survey 2019, which found higher NCD risk factors in older age groups [31]. Both studies emphasize the need for early intervention and age-specific prevention strategies. This association was also reflected in a multi-country cross-sectional study conducted in sub-Saharan Africa among healthcare workers [28]. In our study, 43.1% of healthcare workers had abnormal BMI, a lower prevalence compared to the 70% reported among physicians in Saudi Arabia. This difference suggests that our participants may have greater awareness of healthy practices, highlighting the potential impact of lifestyle education and workplace wellness initiatives [11]. The significant association between abnormal BMI levels and the frequency of NCDs underscores the impact of body weight on the development of these diseases. This finding aligns with research conducted among South African healthcare workers, where the prevalence of abnormal BMI was reported at 42.1% [28].

The Southeast Asia Region exhibited an NCD frequency of 32.5%, compared to all other regions, suggesting that regional factors such as lifestyle and genetics may influence NCD rates. This might also be due to the higher population of healthcare workers from Southeast Asian nations in the hospitals where we recruited the participants. Additionally, individuals with a master’s degree or higher showed a higher NCD frequency of 49.4%. This could be attributed to occupational stress, sedentary lifestyles, and other related factors commonly associated with higher education. While higher education is often linked to better health awareness and more frequent check-ups, it can also expose individuals to elevated risks. This contradicts a study among middle-aged Japanese which shows lower education levels are more associated with NCD prevalence, especially diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia [32].

Higher salty food consumption (≥ 4 days/week) and no consumption of salt were significantly associated with NCD prevalence (p = 0.035), while the lowest NCD rate was observed in those consuming it moderately (< 4 days/week). The frequency of NCDs among healthcare workers who consume salt more than 4 days a week in the study is 35.3%, closely affirming the 35.6% reported in a referenced Bangladeshi study. People with moderate salt consumption (less than 4 days per week) had a lower frequency of NCDs (35.3%) compared to those who did not include salt in their diet (43.4%) [14]. This corresponds to the study done among participants suffering from type 2 diabetes, where the highest mortality risk was observed in individuals with the lowest salt intake [33]. WHO recommends salt intake of less than 5 g of salt per day [34]. This similarity suggests consistent dietary patterns concerning salt consumption among healthcare professionals across different contexts, highlighting the need for targeted nutritional interventions in this demographic population. Previous research in Bangladesh found a highly significant association (p < 0.001) between tobacco use, alcohol intake, added salt intake, physical inactivity, and health profession categories, accentuating a close link. In contrast, our study only found a significant association with salt intake (p = 0.035). Tobacco use, alcohol intake, and physical inactivity did not show significant associations, possibly due to variations in sample populations, regional lifestyles, or health behaviors [14]. The 7.25% tobacco use frequency in our study is lower than the national average of 9.3% reported by the WHO [35]. This reduction likely results from enhanced public health initiatives, increased awareness of tobacco’s health risks, and stricter regulations, reflecting a positive trend in reducing tobacco consumption.

It was found that individuals who never consumed spicy food had a higher frequency of NCDs at 52.4%, compared to 31.6% who consumed spicy food more than four days a week. This is consistent with a study by Lv et al. (2015), which reported that participants who consumed spicy foods six or seven days a week had a 14% relative risk reduction in total mortality compared to those who ate spicy foods less than once a week [36]. These findings suggest that frequent consumption of spicy foods may reduce the risk of NCDs.

Interestingly, stress levels were not significantly associated with the frequency of NCDs in contrast to the outcomes of multiple other studies [13, 28]. For instance, a prospective cohort study conducted on civil workers laid out an important link between work-related psychosocial stressors and metabolic syndrome [37]. These divergent findings suggest the need for further investigation into the complex relationship between stress and NCDs as well as the potential variations across different populations and healthcare settings.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the association between sleeping habits and NCDs in healthcare workers. Previous studies have primarily focused on sleep quality without exploring the various dimensions of sleep habits [38, 39]. The findings indicate that certain sleep habits are significantly associated with NCD. Individuals who sleep between 6 and 8 h every night had a statistically significant association with NCD (p = 0.003) linked to increased risk for cardiovascular diseases [40]. Surprisingly, the use of electronic devices before going to sleep showed no statistical significance, although many studies do indicate that it results in poorer sleep quality [41]. Daytime sleepiness was more common in individuals with NCD (p = 0.020), suggesting poor sleep quality. Not feeling well-rested upon waking also demonstrated a significant relationship with NCD (p = 0.026). Those without NCDs reported feeling more well-rested than their counterparts, strengthening the connection between sleep restoration and long-term health outcomes. Chronic sleep disruption in otherwise healthy individuals has been linked to hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, weight-related issues, and type 2 diabetes mellitus [42]. The association between waking up with muscular pain and NCDs was highly significant (p < 0.001), possibly due to chronic inflammation and musculoskeletal issues. This suggests a vicious cycle, where sleep deprivation leads to pain, and pain further exacerbates poor sleep [43]. Finally, snoring during sleep (p = 0.001) and the ability to sleep continuously for at least six hours (p = 0.013) were both significantly associated with NCDs. Studies have shown that habitual snoring increases the risk of stroke by 26% and the risk of coronary heart disease by 15% [44]. Additionally, the inability to sleep continuously for six hours is linked to sleep disruption disorders, which have considerable adverse short- and long-term health effects [42]. These results underline the importance of sleep habits in the management and prevention of non-communicable diseases among healthcare workers, who are exposed to irregular work shifts, increased stress and reduced productivity which further aggravate sleep related problems.

Overall, the study provides noteworthy insights that can influence future interventions and healthcare policies aimed at promoting the well-being of healthcare professionals and reducing the burden of NCDs in this population.

The study has several limitations, firstly it was limited to a Tertiary care hospital in the emirate of Ajman, thus restricting the generalizability of the findings in other emirates of the UAE. Additionally, since the data was self-reported by healthcare workers, there is a potential for recall bias and underreporting of lifestyle factors such as weight, alcohol, and tobacco use, as well as personal and family history of diseases, which were not verified, potentially affecting the study’s reliability and validity. There is also a possibility of selection bias because data collection took place during working hours, which may have resulted in a preference for participants who were not actively engaged in work at the time. This could have influenced the findings, as those who were busier might have different health profiles compared to those who had more time to participate.