Qualidade de vida de pessoas idosas negras com hipertensão arterial

Abstract

Systemic arterial hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions among older adults and affects the Black population more significantly, compromising their quality of life. The intersection between race, aging, and chronic conditions highlights historical inequities in access to healthcare and living conditions, reinforcing the importance of assessing the quality of life of this population to support equitable public policies and culturally sensitive care practices. The objective of this study was to

evaluate the quality of life of older Black people with hypertension. This is a cross- sectional and analytical study, conducted between January and June 2025. Data

collection was conducted in person by the principal investigator, using two structured questionnaires: the first addressing sociodemographic variables, lifestyle habits, clinical aspects, and anthropometric data; and the second corresponding to the validated Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), which assesses eight domains of quality of life. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 24.0), employing the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests (p < 0.05). The sample consisted of 191 individuals, predominantly women (65.4%), with a median age of 72 years, married (70.2%), retired (89.0%), and with an income between one and three minimum wages (93.2%), as well as having incomplete primary education (41.9%). The majority did not smoke (92.7%), did not consume alcohol (90.1%), and only 37.7% practiced physical activity. Regarding clinical aspects, 89% had lived with the diagnosis for more than six years, and 99.0% were undergoing drug treatment. The median Body Mass Index was 26 kg/m2, and the median waist circumference was 92.8 cm. The lowest quality of life scores were observed in the domains of pain (median=32), emotional aspects (median=33.3), and vitality (median=40), while mental health (median=72) and social aspects (median=50) showed better values. Participants with higher education levels, those who practiced physical activity, and single individuals presented higher scores (p < 0.001). Longer time since diagnosis, smoking, and low levels of physical activity were associated with worse results in multiple domains (p<0.05). The presence of other chronic conditions was associated with higher scores in the domains of vitality, pain, emotional aspects, social aspects, and mental health (p < 0.05). The use of private services and regular attendance at services also showed positive associations with several domains. It is concluded that sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors influence the quality of life of elderly Black people with systemic arterial hypertension. The predominance of women with low levels of education and income, coupled with overweight, sedentary lifestyles, and comorbidities, creates a vulnerable scenario that particularly compromises the domains of pain, emotional well-being, and vitality, reinforcing the need for culturally sensitive and equitable care strategies in primary health care.