Prevalence of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases according to Color/Race in Brazil: An Analysis of the 2019 National Health Survey.

BACKGROUND

This study examines racial disparities in the prevalence of noncommunicable chronic diseases (CNCDs) in Brazil. It also assesses whether these disparities persist after adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2019 National Health Survey. The sample included 94,114 individuals aged 15 years or older. Fifteen self-reported CNCD outcomes were analyzed. Color or race was the main independent variable. Age and sex were treated as confounders, while education and income were conceptualized as socioeconomic mediators. Additionally, behavioral risk factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, were incorporated into the adjusted models. Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), incorporating sample weights.

RESULTS

In the Brazilian population, the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) was 24.76% (95% CI: 24.26%–25.27%) and multimorbidity was 28.58% (95% CI: 28.02%–29.15%). Black color/race was associated with AH (PR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.03–1.10), diabetes (PR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.00–1.15), and stroke (PR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.04–1.38). In adjusted analysis, Black color/race remained associated with AH (PR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.15–1.22), diabetes (PR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.09–1.25), and stroke (PR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.08–1.43). Mixed/Brown color/race was associated with AH (PR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03–1.07) and diabetes (PR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.10).

CONCLUSION

This study reveals a higher prevalence of CNCDs among Black and Mixed-race populations in Brazil, even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. The persistence of racial health disparities and underscore the urgent need for public policies that promote racial equity, improve health system responsiveness, and confront structural racism as a critical determinant of health.