Group of Hypertensive: Profile of participants and Influence upon the control of high blood pressure

Abstract

Systemic arterial hypertension is the most frequent among the cardiovascular diseases about 17 million people are suffering from arterial hypertension in Brazil. It is characterized by chronicity and multiplicity of associated factors, a long asymptomatic period and evolution to complications. Thus, there is an increasing need for a collective and multidisciplinary approach for obtaining more consistent and long lasting results in the control of this disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the profile of the participants of a Group of Hypertensive according to sex, age group, family and per capita income, occupation, participation in community groups, kind of health service they would seek in case of disease, frequency of the group meetings and the influence of the group as refers to controlling the high blood pressure. We used questionnaires, the records of the group meetings and the Primary Care Information System for collecting the data of the individuals from Vila Ipiranga, city of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, who composed the sample under study. In addition, a questionnaire was applied for evaluating the influence of the group upon blood pressure control. The analysis showed that there were more women than men participating in the group; average age of over 60 years; more than 50% would seek the Health Unit in the first place in case of disease; the greater part is retired and participates in some religious group. As to the family and per capita income, the predominant groups are one to two minimum wages and one minimum wage respectively. The group meetings showed effective. All interviewed individuals stated that the group had helped controlling the blood pressure and that the meetings were important in the sense of providing information about the disease, promoting lifestyle changes and raising the awareness of the importance of following the treatment correctly. A longitudinal analysis, selecting the patients who participated three times or more, showed that 10 (76,92%) out of the 13 participants were able to lower their blood pressure, confirming the positive influence of the group for the control of arterial blood pressure.