Impact of cardiovascular risk screening in an academic institution, Benghazi, Libya

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in Libya, driven by obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking. Inadequate screening contributes to the widespread undiagnosed status of risk factors, with university staff particularly vulnerable due to occupational and lifestyle factors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, evaluate risk awareness, and determine the impact of a pharmacist-led screening intervention on behavioral intentions among employees in an academic institution in Benghazi, Libya. A cross-sectional interventional study was conducted among 179 university employees. Data were collected in two phases. In the baseline phase, participants completed questionnaires on demographics, lifestyle, medical history, and CVD awareness, followed by clinical measurements. After pharmacist-led counseling and personalized feedback, post-intervention assessments of awareness and behavioral intentions were performed. Participants were mostly female (62.6%), aged 20-35 years (61.5%), and Libyan (89.9%). The most prevalent undiagnosed CVD risk factors were dyslipidemia (66.5%), overweight (63.1%), and hypertension (20.7%). Post-screening awareness was high (mean score 9.06/10), especially for obesity (99.4%) and hypertension (97.2%). The pharmacist-led intervention strongly improved lifestyle intentions: increasing physical activity (97.8%), improving diet (98.9%), attending regular check-ups (92.2%), and using digital monitoring (91.6%). Significant associations were found between socio-demographic factors and CVD risks, as well as between lifestyle habits and clinical outcomes. A high prevalence of undiagnosed CVD risk factors exists among university employees despite good awareness levels. Pharmacist-led workplace screening effectively increased intentions to adopt healthier behaviors, supporting the integration of clinical pharmacists into wellness programs to reduce the CVD burden in Libya.