Cardiovascular Risk and Lifestyle: comparison between teaching workers in Portugal and Brazil

Abstract

Objective: Compare Cardiovascular Risk between workers in Brazil and Portugal who work in the teaching context and its relationship with Lifestyle and Common Mental Disorder. Methods: Cross-sectional study that compared the cardiovascular health conditions of teaching workers in Manaus (Brazil) and Coimbra (Portugal). The odds ratio between groups was estimated. Results: The differences were: Smoking and hypercholesterolemia in participants from Portugal. Hypertension, chronic disease, increased abdominal perimeter, common mental disorder, and absence from work in Brazil. The variables with the greatest effect for high cardiovascular risk were: Country-Portugal [17.273 (95%CI1.538-193.951)], sex-male [61.577 (95%CI5.398-702.469)] and smoking [593.398 (95%CI57.330-6.142.020)]. Conclusion: The differences in risk between groups showed that participants from Portugal, men, with high blood pressure and/or smokers are the most vulnerable to having a cardiovascular event. There is a need for interventions to promote cardiovascular health in the workplace in both countries.