Self-reported prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in quilombola communities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The study sought to identify the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) and possible associated factors in adults residing in quilombola communities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). A transversal population-based study, carried out in 2011, included 589 adult households in quilombola communities in the State of RS, by sampling proportional to the size. The outcome was obtained by the question: "Has a doctor ever told you that you have hypertension?" Poisson regression with robust variance and hierarchical input variables were used. Finally, the population attributable fractions per component (PAFC) were calculated for modifiable factors associated to AH. The self-reported prevalence of AH was 38.3% (CI95% 31.4%-45.1%). Adjusted analysis revealed an association of the outcome with age group, education, excessive alcohol consumption, waist circumference and the presence of diabetes. PAFC analysis revealed that if the individuals had greater schooling, the prevalence of AH would be reduced. Given the high prevalence of AH and the extreme social vulnerability of this population, public policies that guarantee their access to fundamental rights (health, income and schooling) could have a significant impact in reducing this outcome.