Introduction: Hypertension is a major public health problem due to its high prevalence, low levels of control, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Objective: To analyze the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in men and women living in the cities of Legal Amazonia.
Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,296 adults in the cities of Legal Amazonia. Socio-demographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric data were collected and blood pressure was measured, being considered hypertensive those individuals who had blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg and/or those who reported the use of antihypertensive drugs. Statistical analyzes were performed using the survey module prefix in Stata version 11.0.
Results: The prevalence of hypertension was 22.3%. After adjusting, the variables associated with hypertension in men were in the age groups 30 - 39 years (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.69; 95%CI 1.49 - 4.86), 40 - 49 years (adjusted PR = 3.28; 95%CI 1.82 - 5.93), and 50 - 59 years (adjusted PR = 4.80; 95%CI 2.63 - 8.76); overweight (adjusted PR = 1.97; 95%CI 1.39 - 2.78); obesity (adjusted PR = 3.32; 95%CI 2.32 - 4.75); and being born in the North or Northeast regions (adjusted PR = 0.31; 95%CI 0.18 - 0.59). Among women, the age groups 40 - 49 years (adjusted PR = 3.41; 95%CI 1.91 - 6.07) and 50 - 59 years (adjusted PR = 7.29; 95%CI 4.07 - 13.07), wine consumption (adjusted PR = 0.31; 95%CI 0.10 - 0.97), and obesity (adjusted PR = 2.39; 95%CI 1.65 - 3.45) were associated with hypertension.
Conclusion: In men, hypertension was independently associated with age, nutritional status, and place of birth, whereas in women, the variables associated with hypertension were age, nutritional status, and type of alcoholic beverage.