title: Factors associated with the onset of hypertension in women of 50 years of age or more in a city in Southeastern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate factors associated with hypertension in Brazilian women of 50 years of age or more.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional population based study using self-reports. A total of 622 women were included. The association between sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral factors and the woman's age at the onset of hypertension was evaluated. Data were analyzed according to cumulative continuation rates without hypertension, using the life-table method and considering annual intervals. Next, a Cox multiple regression analysis model was adjusted to analyze the occurrence rates of hypertension according to various predictor variables. Significance level was pre-established at 5% (95% confidence level) and the sampling plan (primary sampling unit) was taken into consideration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age at onset of hypertension was 64.3 years. Cumulative continuation rate without hypertension at 90 years was 20%. Higher body mass index (BMI) at 20-30 years of age was associated with a higher cumulative occurrence rate of hypertension over time (coefficient=0.078; p<0.001). Being white was associated with a lower cumulative occurrence rate of hypertension over time (coefficient= -0.439; p=0.003), while smoking >15 cigarettes/day was associated with a higher rate over time (coefficient=0.485; p=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study highlight the importance of weight control in young adulthood and of avoiding smoking in preventing hypertension in women aged ≥50 years.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa de Souza Santos
authors.initials: Vde S
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia Ribeiro
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Valadares
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lúcia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costa-Paiva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aarão Mendes
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pinto-Neto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014504:Urban Health