Health outcomes across socioeconomic strata B, C, and DE among Brazilian adults living in moderate social vulnerability.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined whether socioeconomic status was associated with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and quality of life among Brazilian adults living in areas of moderate social vulnerability. In addition, we described anxiety and depressive symptoms, BMI and waist-to-hip ratio, and quality of life in individuals living in moderate social vulnerability.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study. In a socially vulnerable cohort, interviews captured demographics, comorbidities, medications, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and quality of life, followed by measurement of anthropometric characteristics.

RESULTS

Among 299 socially vulnerable adults, 8% had moderate-severe depressive symptoms and 7% had moderate-severe anxiety symptoms; ~50% showed increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases (i.e., waist-to-hip ratio greater or equal to 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women, respectively). Poor quality of life affected 4-12% across domains. Mental health, anthropometrics (waist-to-hip ratio, BMI), increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases and quality of life in physical, social and environmental domains did not differ by socioeconomic status (B, C, DE; all P>0.05). Poor psychological quality of life was more frequent among participants in higher socioeconomic status (B: 8%; C: 6%; DE: 4%, P = 0.0157). Linear regression analyses showed no statistically significant differences across socioeconomic status in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, or quality of life scores in any domain (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that, among Brazilian adults living in moderate social vulnerability and classified within socioeconomic status B, C, and DE, mental health, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and quality-of-life indicators were similar across socioeconomic strata. However, these results should be interpreted as reflecting intra-group socioeconomic differences within a moderately vulnerable population and should not be generalized to individuals from the highest socioeconomic status.