Analysis of the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and associated factors among the elderly, 2000-2010

Abstract

The scope of this study was to analyze the difference in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) between 2000 and 2010 and its association with socio-economic and risk factors among the elderly. Bayesian multilevel models were applied to analyze the difference in the prevalence of CVD, and the association between individual characteristics and the presence of CVD was analyzed by logistic regression models with complex samples separately for 2000, 2006 and 2010. This research is part of the Health, Welfare and Aging (SABE) study, performed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and used the samples collected in 2000, 2006 and 2010. An increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among the elderly was observed during the period, from 17.9% in 2000, to 22.2% in 2006, attaining 22.9% in 2010. In reference to the prevalence observed in 2000, the multilevel analysis indicated a significant increase in the presence of cardiovascular disease in 2006 (OR = 3.20 95%CI = 1.93-5.31) and 2010 (OR = 2.98 95%CI = 1.51-5.89), even after statistical adjustment for individual factors. The presence of CVD was associated with older age, smoking history, the presence of diabetes and hypertension, and an inverse association was observed between the presence of CVD and alcohol intake.