Gender disparities in the association between racism and cardiometabolic multimorbidity in Brazil: the Pró-Saúde study

This study aimed to investigate the association between racism and cardiometabolic multimorbidity and explore whether gender can modify this association in the Brazilian context. Cross-sectional analysis of 2,765 participants from wave 4 of the Pró-Saúde longitudinal study (2011-2012). Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between race/color and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (physician diagnosis of two or more self-reported cardiometabolic conditions). Analyses were stratified by gender and adjusted for age and education. Black women had a higher prevalence of cardiometabolic multimorbidity when compared to White women (35.4% vs. 20%). Race/color was associated with greater odds of cardiometabolic multimorbidity only in women, mainly Black women (OR 2.19; 95%CI 1.64-2.91), followed by Brown women (OR 1.46; 95%CI 1.11-1.91), compared to White women. After adjustments, the statistically significant association persisted only in Black women (OR 1.72; 95%CI 1.26-2.34). There is racial disparity in cardiometabolic multimorbidity in Brazil, especially for Black women.