Introduction

Hypertension is a severe public health problem, especially in African descent people, such as those living in quilombos. Drug adherence helps reducing blood pressure levels. However, little is known about the factors related to drug adherence in hypertensive people living in the urban quilombola community.

Objetive

To analyze the adherence to drug treatment and factors associated with cardiovascular health in Afro-descendants with hypertension, living in families from the urban quilombola community.

Material and Methods

A cross-sectional delineate, community-based census study carried out in an urban quilombola community in a municipality of the Brazilian northeast. The study population consisted of 302 people between 35 and 79 years old, of both genders and with a diagnosis of arterial hypertension registered in medical records of the adscript basic health unit. The following instruments were used for data collect: a questionnaire on arterial hypertension in primary care and Morisky's drug adherence scale (MMAS-8).

Results

There was a predominance of black hypertensive female subjects, low schooling and financial income, resident with relatives, retirees and not working. In the analysis of multiple regression the following was associated with drug adherence: Female Gender (OR 0.50 95% IC: 0.29-0.89, Adjusted OR 0.49 95% CI: 0.29-0.84), age (OR 0,96 95% IC: 0.96-0.99 Adjusted OR 0.95 95% CI: 0.93-0.97) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (OR 1,00 95% IC: 0.99-1.02, Adjusted OR 1.11 95% CI:1.00-1.02). Of the hypertensive people who adhered to the medication, 91% lived with a companion and the majority had a sedentary behavior.

Conclusions

The variables gender, age and SBP influence drug adherence of hypertensive people living in the urban quilombola community. Living with relatives can positively influence this adherence. Promoting interventions that encourage the adoption of healthy life habits can potentiate blood pressure control.

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