Prevalence of High Blood Pressure Levels and Associated Factors among Adults in Southern Brazil

Background: Few population-based studies have been carried out in Brazilian medium-sized cities in order to estimate high levels of blood pressure and associated factors. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of high blood pressure and associated factors among adults in Lages, Southern Brazil. Methods: Population-based cross sectional study carried out in adults aged 20 to 59 years living in the urban area (n=2,022). The dependent variable was high levels of blood pressure (>= 140/90 mmHg). Exploratory variables: sex, age, schooling, per capita family income, self-reported ethnicity, body mass index, tobacco and alcohol addiction, physical activity and self-reported diabetes. The Chi-square test and linear trends were used to test associations between the dependent variable and the exploratory variables. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed. Results: Response rate was 98.6%. The prevalence of high blood pressure levels was 33.7% (95CI%: 31.7-36.1) for the population as a whole, ranging from 31.1% in men to 38.1% in women. After statistical adjustment for possible confounders, the following were associated with high blood pressure levels: male gender (PR = 1.22 95% CI 1.1-1.4), older age, overweight (PR= 1.40 95% CI 1.18-1.67), obesity (PR = 1.95 95% CI 1.61-2.36), Asian ethnicity (PR 1.29 95% CI 1.12-1.48) and self-reported diabetes mellitus (PR 1.29 95% CI 1.12-1.48). Conclusions: One third of the assessed adults presented high blood pressure levels, similar to most of the Brazilian findings. Factors that can be prevented, such as overweight, obesity and self-reported diabetes were associated with high blood pressure levels.(Arq Bras Cardiol 2009; 93(3) : 360-366)