Precision assessment of a hypertension prevalence survey

Abstract

Background: Population surveys are crucial for public policy planning and provide valuable representative data. In the health sector studies to identify and assess the prevalence of Arterial Hypertension (AH), a chronic non-communicable disease (NCD), along with its associated risk factors have been conducted.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a population health survey in estimating the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) in the Sorocaba municipality between August 2021 and June 2023.

Methods: The analyzed performance indicator is the precision (design effect - deff) of AH prevalence in adults (≥ 18 years) and their exposure to primary risk factors. The total sample included 1,080 individuals from the urban area, deemed sufficient to estimate a deff of 1.5. This cluster-based study utilized census sectors as clusters, with data collected through household interviews, standardized questionnaires, and measurements of blood pressure and biometric parameters. The deff calculation formula used was weighted variance / raw variance. The Research Ethics Committee approved this study, with registration CAAE 30538520-1-0000-5373.

Results: The deff values ranged from 0.44 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to 1.63 for asthma, with a deff of 1.00 for AH prevalence.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated good precision in its results, with high receptivity and cooperation from participants. The cost-effectiveness of the research deemed appropriate. The technique of selecting households within clusters (census sectors) based on detailed mapping and demographic data from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) proved to be practical and efficient, suitable for replication in other municipalities and for studying other NCDs.

Keywords: Cluster sampling; Data accuracy; Epidemiology; Health surveys; Hypertension; Prevalence.