Association between leisure-time physical activity and long-term medication use in adults from a low socioeconomic region

Few studies have investigated the association between leisure-time physical activity and long-term medication use in Brazilian populations, especially those of low socioeconomic status. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between the need for long-term medication and leisure-time physical activity in adults from the Ermelino Matarazzo district, a low-income region in São Paulo, Brazil. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2007 and involved 890 subjects aged 18 years or older. Data regarding the need for long-term medication and types of medications used were collected using a questionnaire. Leisure-time physical activity was measured using the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, chi-square test, and simple and multiple binary and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used. Among the subjects studied, 29.2% reported the need for long-term medication and 10% required at least two different types of medications. After adjustment for gender, age, education level and Body Mass Index, subjects who did not perform at least 150 min/week of leisure-time physical activity presented 2.78 (95% confidence interval - 95%CI: 1.45; 5.30) and 4.69 (95%CI: 1.90; 11.53) times the odds of requiring long-term medication and two or more types of medications rather than none, respectively, than those who did. Broader discussion of the interaction between medication, leisure-time physical activity and social and economic aspects is needed to reduce inequalities and to improve the health of individuals of low socioeconomic status.

目前鲜有研究探讨巴西人群，尤其是社会经济地位较低群体的闲暇时间身体活动与长期用药之间的关联。本研究旨在分析巴西圣保罗市低收入区域埃梅利诺·马塔拉斯佐（Ermelino Matarazzo）辖区成年人群的长期用药需求与闲暇时间身体活动之间的关联。本研究于2007年开展了一项基于人群的横断面研究，共纳入890名18岁及以上的研究对象。长期用药需求及所用药物种类相关数据通过问卷收集；闲暇时间身体活动则采用长版国际身体活动问卷（International Physical Activity Questionnaire）进行评估。本研究采用描述性分析、卡方检验以及简单与多重二元、多项逻辑回归分析方法。在所纳入的研究对象中，29.2%的人群报告存在长期用药需求，10%的人群需服用至少两种不同类型的药物。在校正性别、年龄、受教育水平及身体质量指数（Body Mass Index）后，与每周至少完成150分钟闲暇时间身体活动的研究对象相比，未达到该活动量的人群，其出现长期用药需求以及需服用两种及以上药物的比值比，分别为无需用药人群的2.78倍（95%置信区间：1.45; 5.30）和4.69倍（95%CI: 1.90; 11.53）。未来需进一步探讨用药行为、闲暇时间身体活动与社会经济因素之间的交互作用，以缩小健康不平等，改善社会经济地位较低群体的健康水平。