Systemic arterial hypertension and risk factors in quilombolas from the downtown of maranhão, Brazil

A Systemic Arterial Hypertension is understood as one of the major public health problems in the world and in Brazil. Thus, Quilombola Communities are a minority, consequently they develop diseases, with arterial hypertension being the most frequent. To identify systemic arterial hypertension and risk factors in quilombolas in Maranhão, Brazil. Cross-sectional study, using instruments adapted to the National Health Survey and the Surveillance of Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases Survey and the significance of 5%. 177 quilombolas participated, of which 55.9% were women. The average age of the population was 43.89 years (SD = 17.82). The prevalence of arterial hypertension was 22.2% (95% CI: 16.1-28.3%). Risk factors that were associated with arterial hypertension: age (> = 60 years; 95% CI: 1.11 - 7.90; p <0.030), Body Mass Index - obesity (95% CI: 1.33 - 7.85; p <0.001), greatly increased waist circumference (95% CI: 2.47 - 34.54; p <0.010), physical inactivity (95% CI: 1.04 - 10.87; p <0.043), and irregular consumption of vegetables (95% CI: 04 - 6.87; p <0.041). The risk factors for arterial hypertension were significant for the studied population.