OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of factors associated with prehypertension among 20 to 59 years old women cared for by primary healthcare units that adopted the Family Health Strategy. METHOD: Cross-sectional study conducted in a city in the interior of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study's population was composed of 1,773 women with blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg. The dependent variable was prehypertension (≥120/80 mmHg to <140/90 mmHg). RESULTS: The prevalence of prehypertension was 20.6%. The multivariate analysis showed that overweight or obese women of African descent, 40 years old or older with a family history of hypertension, had an increased risk of presenting prehypertension. CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence found in this study is lower than that reported by other studies, nurses need to implement efforts to prevent and detect prehypertension, especially among high-risk groups.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of factors associated with prehypertension among 20 to 59 years old women cared for by primary healthcare units that adopted the Family Health Strategy. METHOD: Cross-sectional study conducted in a city in the interior of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study's population was composed of 1,773 women with blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg. The dependent variable was prehypertension (≥120/80 mmHg to <140/90 mmHg). RESULTS: The prevalence of prehypertension was 20.6%. The multivariate analysis showed that overweight or obesewomen of African descent, 40 years old or older with a family history of hypertension, had an increased risk of presenting prehypertension. CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence found in this study is lower than that reported by other studies, nurses need to implement efforts to prevent and detect prehypertension, especially among high-risk groups.