Abstract
Evaluate the prevalence of self-reported hypertension in adults aged 20 to 59 years as well as identify associated factors, the use of health services and disease control practices according to the possession or not of a private healthcare plan. A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Campinas, Brazil, involving 957 adults. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 14.1%, with greater frequencies found among women, individuals aged ≥ 40 years, those who declared their skin color to be black, those with less schooling, those who did not practice active leisure activities, ex-smokers, overweight or obese individuals and those who rated their own health as not being excellent/very good. No inequalities were detected between individuals with hypertension covered by a private healthcare plan or the Brazilian public healthcare system with regard to access to services, the use of disease-controlling medications and having received counseling on how to manage the disease. However, differences were found regarding the practice of physical activity and diet. Despite the equity disclosed in access to health care, the present findings demonstrate that an insufficient proportion of adults adopt changes in lifestyle to control hypertension, underscoring the central role of public health administrators.
Highlights
Chronic non-communicable diseases account for 72% of deaths in Brazil, with 30.4% related to cardiovascular diseases[1]
According to the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2013, 21.4% of the population aged 18 years or older reported having a medical diagnosis of hypertension, which corresponds to 31.3 million Brazilians[5]
The prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 14.1% and was significantly higher among women, those who self-declared their ethnicity/skin color to be black, those with one or more children and those with a lower level of schooling
Summary
Chronic non-communicable diseases account for 72% of deaths in Brazil, with 30.4% related to cardiovascular diseases[1]. The prevalence of hypertension in the Brazilian population is 22 to 44% for adults and increases with age, reaching as high as 68% of older adults[2,3]. Hypertension is estimated to be responsible for 13% of deaths worldwide[4]. According to the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2013, 21.4% of the population aged 18 years or older reported having a medical diagnosis of hypertension, which corresponds to 31.3 million Brazilians[5]. Data from the National Home Survey conducted in 2008 indicate that the prevalence of hypertension was 38% higher among individuals with a lower level of schooling and 6% higher among those with no private health insurance, after controlling for age, sex and place of residence[6].
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