ABC | Volume 113, Nº3, September 2019

Original Article Prevalence of Systemic Arterial Hypertension in Quilombola Communities, State of Sergipe, Brazil Deyse Mirelle Souza Santos, Beatriz Santana Prado, Cristiane Costa da Cunha Oliveira, Marcos Antonio Almeida-Santo s Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE – Brazil Mailing Address: Marcos Antonio Almeida-Santos • Universidade Tiradentes - Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde e Ambiente - Av, Murilo Dantas, 300. Postal Code 49032-490, Aracaju, SE – Brazil E-mail: virtual.596@gmail.com Manuscript received June 28, 2018, revised manuscript November 15, 2018, accepted December 19, 2018 DOI: 10.5935/abc.20190143 Abstract Background: The quilombolas are groups formed by black ancestry individuals, living in a context of social vulnerability due to low socioeconomic level, which influences health care and the development of chronic diseases. Objective: To assess the prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in the quilombola population in the State of Sergipe, Brazil. Methods: Study design was cross sectional, involving the administration of a questionnaire to individuals aged ≥ 18 years, in 15 quilombola communities of the State of Sergipe, Brazil. A value of two-sided p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: sA total of 390 individuals were evaluated, 72.3% of whom were women, with a mean age of 44.7 years. The prevalence of hypertension was 26% (with a confidence interval of 95% [95% CI]: 22-30), with no significant sex‑related differences. The age was associated with arterial hypertension (95% CI: 1.03-1.06), systolic (95% CI: 1.04-1.07) and diastolic (IC 95%: 1.01-1.04) arterial hypertension. The level of body mass index was associated with arterial hypertension (95% CI: 1.00-1.11) and diastolic arterial hypertension (95% CI: 1.03-1.17). Economic class was associated with diastolic arterial hypertension (95% CI: 1.22-5.03). Conclusion: The prevalence of arterial hypertension in the quilombola communities was high. Its association with cardiovascular risk factors indicates the need to improve access to healthcare services. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2019; 113(3):383-390) Keywords: Cardiovascular Diseases; Hypertension; Prevalence; Public Health; Risk Group; African Continental Ancestry Group; Health of Specific Groups. Introduction The quilombolas are groups formed by black ancestry individuals, due to their African origin, trafficked to Brazil between the XVI and XIX centuries. They were brought to work as slaves in the sugar plantations under precarious conditions. After the abolition of slavery, numerous quilombola communities arose in Brazil; nowadays there are 2,958 communities throughout the country, and 35 are located in the State of Sergipe. The States of Bahia, Maranhão, Pará, Minas Gerais and Pernambuco have a higher number of communities in their territories. 1 The land demarcated as quilombola territories ensure the physical, social, economic and cultural reproduction of the remaining members of the Quilombo communities. 2 The quilombola communities are inserted in a context of social vulnerability due to low socioeconomic level, which directly influences healthcare and the development of chronic diseases. 3 Studies have shown that systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is one of the most relevant diseases among the quilombola populations, and can be associated with genetic factors. However, Brazilian studies could not associate genetic polymorphism with increased blood pressure levels among the quilombolas, which may be associated with the intense Brazilian miscegenationa. 4,5 The prevalence of SAH among quilombola communities has ranged from 38.4% 6 to 45.4%, 7 which represents a higher percentage rate compared to the general Brazilian population. 8 The risk factors for the development and grievance of arterial hypertension are diseases like dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, glucose intolerance, diabetes mellitus (DM), in addition to modifiable factors, such as socioeconomic determinants and inadequate access to healthcare services. 9 SAH can cause permanent damage to individuals through the onset of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and kidney diseases. 10 Thus, the aim of this study was to identity the prevalece of SAH and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in the quilombola population of the State of Sergipe, Brazil. Methods The study design and sample This is a cross sectional study, carried out in quilombola communities in the State of Sergipe, Brazil, in the period between September 2016 and April 2017. The sample delineation 383