Socioeconomic determinants of excess weight and obesity among Indigenous women: findings from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: This article assesses the nutritional status of Indigenous women from 14 to 49 years of age in Brazil. DESIGN: Sample size was calculated for each region considering a prevalence of 50 % for all disease outcomes, a relative error of 5 % and a CI of 95 %. In the initial data analysis, the prevalence of excess weight and obesity was calculated according to independent variables. Multivariate multilevel hierarchical analyses were conducted based on a theoretical model of two ranked blocks. SETTING: The 2010 Indigenous population in Brazil was 896 000, with approximately 300 Indigenous ethnic groups, making Brazil one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the Americas and the world. PARTICIPANTS: Of the total target sample of 6722 women evaluated by the National Survey, thirty did not participate, 939 were not eligible for analyses due to pregnancy or unknown pregnancy status, and thirty-nine were excluded due to missing anthropometric data. RESULTS: The evaluation of nutritional status was completed for 5714 non-pregnant women (99·3 % of eligible participants for this outcome). High prevalence rates were encountered for both excess weight (46·2 %) and obesity (15·8 %) among the sampled women. In the multivariate analyses, higher socioeconomic indicators, market-integrated living conditions and less reliance on local food production, as well as increased age and parity were associated with excess weight and obesity. CONCLUSION: Results point to distinct patterns of associations between socioeconomic indicators and the occurrence of excess weight and obesity among Indigenous women, which have potentially significant implications from a public policy perspective for Indigenous peoples in Brazil.

Food Profiles of Indigenous Households in Brazil: Results of the First National Survey of Indigenous Peoples' Health and Nutrition.

The objective of the present study was to characterize the food profiles in Indigenous households participating in the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil. Multiple correspondence analysis was used to estimate distances between regions and foods from three sources (local Indigenous production, purchased, and external donation), in addition to "not consumed." The combined distribution of the first two dimensions revealed three distinct profiles of food acquisition. Observed proximities between geopolitical regions and distinct modes of food acquisition speak to regional contrasts in food sovereignty among the Indigenous population that are closely linked to historical occupation and economic expansion in the country. Considering the concept of food sovereignty as involving rights to dietary autonomy, healthy diets, and resource management, our data suggest Brazil's North region is the closest of the four regions analyzed to these goals. Food sovereignty in the Northeast and South/Southeast regions is reduced due to greater monetarization and proximity to market economy resources. The advance of agribusiness in the Amazon has been a hallmark of the Brazilian government's current environmental policy, directly threatening the survival of Indigenous peoples living in that region.

The Xavante Longitudinal Health Study in Brazil: Objectives, design, and key results.

OBJECTIVE: The Xavante Longitudinal Health Study was developed to permit granular tracking of contemporary health challenges faced by indigenous communities in Brazil, taking into consideration ongoing historical processes that may be associated with increases in child undernutrition, adult obesity, and cardiovascular disease risks. METHODS: This was an open-cohort study with six semiannual data collection waves from 2009 to 2012. The study was undertaken in two Xavante villages, Pimentel Barbosa and Etênhiritipá, State of Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. No sampling technique was used. Data collection placed emphasis on growth and nutrition of children under five and nutrition status, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels of adolescents and adults. RESULTS: Baseline data collection began in July/August 2009 with a population census (656 individuals). Between the first and final waves, the study population increased by 17%. At baseline, stunting and wasting was elevated for most age groups <10 years. Overweight, obesity, and increased risk of metabolic complications were expressive among individuals >17 years, disproportionately affecting females. Anemia was elevated in most age groups, especially among females. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure was moderate. The overall prevalence of high blood pressure was relatively low. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal marked health disparities relative to the Brazilian national population and a complex dietary health epidemiology involving the double burden of malnutrition, rapidly changing nutritional indicators, and elevated metabolic disease risk. The topically broad multidisciplinary focus permitted construction of the richest longitudinal data set of socio-epidemiological information for an indigenous population in Brazil.

Anemia among indigenous women in Brazil: findings from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is recognized as a major public health problem that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. Indigenous women of reproductive age in Brazil are thought to be at high risk, but lack of nationwide data limits knowledge about the burden of disease and its main determinants. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and associated factors in this population using data from The First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil. METHODS: Data were collected from Indigenous women between 15 and 49 years old based on a nationwide sample of villages. The outcomes of interest were hemoglobin levels (g/dL) and anemia (< 12 g/dL for nonpregnant and < 11 g/dL for pregnant women). Multilevel models were used to explore associations with contextual (village) and individual (household/woman) level variables. RESULTS: Based on data for 6692 Indigenous women, the nationwide mean hemoglobin level was 12.39 g/dL (95% CI: 12.29-12.50). Anemia prevalence was high (33.0%; 95% CI: 30.40-35.61%) and showed pronounced regional disparities. No village-level characteristics were associated with anemia or hemoglobin levels in the multilevel model. Even after controlling for upper level variables, socioeconomic status, parity, body mass index, and having been treated for malaria were associated with anemia and hemoglobin levels. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anemia in Brazilian Indigenous women was 12% greater than the national estimates for women of reproductive age. Anemia prevalence and mean hemoglobin levels among Indigenous women appear to be partly explained by some previously recognized risk factors, such as socioeconomic status, body mass index, and malaria; however, part of the variability in these outcomes remains unexplained. Knowledge of health status and its potential determinants is essential to guide public policies aimed at controlling anemia burden in Indigenous communities.

Physical growth curves of indigenous Xavante children in Central Brazil: results from a longitudinal study (2009-2012).

BACKGROUND: The nutritional profile of Indigenous children in Brazil is comparable to those observed in some of the least developed regions of the world. AIM: Weight and height growth curves were characterised based on longitudinal data from a local Indigenous population experiencing the double burden of child under-nutrition and adult obesity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Anthropometric data were collected in six waves from 2009-2011 for children <10 in two proximate Xavante villages in Central Brazil. Prevalence rates for stunting, wasting and thinness were calculated using WHO references. Weight and height data were adjusted for generalised additive mixed models to generate growth curves. RESULTS: Prevalence rates of stunting and wasting were high, but cases of thinness and excess weight were negligible. Weight and height began close to WHO medians, but fell substantially before 12 months. Boys but not girls were able to catch-up in weight before age 10. From 3-10 years, height for both sexes remained between -2 and 0 z-scores. CONCLUSION: Impaired Xavante growth before 1 year followed by inconsistent recovery before 10 years reflects health and wellbeing disparities with regard to the Brazilian national population and a complex epidemiology of growth involving rapid nutritional change.

Diarrhea and health inequity among Indigenous children in Brazil: results from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Globally, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under five. In Brazil, mortality due to diarrhea underwent a significant reduction in recent decades principally due to expansion of the primary healthcare network, use of oral rehydration therapy, reduced child undernutrition, and improved access to safe drinking water. The First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil, conducted in 2008-2009, was the first survey based on a nationwide representative sample to study the prevalence of diarrhea and associated factors among Indigenous children in the country. METHODS: The survey assessed the health and nutritional status of Indigenous children < 5 years of age based on a representative sample of major Brazilian geopolitical regions. A stratified probabilistic sampling was carried out for Indigenous villages. Within villages, children < 5 years of age in sampled households were included in the study. Interviews were based on a seven day recall period. Prevalence rates of acute diarrhea were calculated for independent variables and hierarchical multivariable analyses were conducted to assess associations. RESULTS: Information on diarrhea was obtained for 5,828 children (95.1% of the total sample). The overall prevalence of diarrhea was 23.5%. Regional differences were observed, with the highest rate being in the North (38.1%). Higher risk of diarrhea was observed among younger children and those who had less maternal schooling, lower household socioeconomic status, undernutrition (weight-for-age deficit), presence of another child with diarrhea in the household, and occurrence of upper respiratory infection. CONCLUSIONS: According to results of the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition, almost a quarter of Indigenous children throughout the country had diarrhea during the previous week. This prevalence is substantially higher than that documented in 2006 for Brazilian children < 5 years generally (9.4%). Due to its exceedingly multicausal nature, the set of associated variables that remained associated with child diarrhea in the final multivariable model provide an excellent reflection of the diverse social and health inequities faced by Indigenous peoples in contemporary Brazil.

Nutritional status of indigenous children: findings from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of undernutrition, which is closely associated with socioeconomic and sanitation conditions, is often higher among indigenous than non-indigenous children in many countries. In Brazil, in spite of overall reductions in the prevalence of undernutrition in recent decades, the nutritional situation of indigenous children remains worrying. The First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil, conducted in 2008-2009, was the first study to evaluate a nationwide representative sample of indigenous peoples. This paper presents findings from this study on the nutritional status of indigenous children < 5 years of age in Brazil. METHODS: A multi-stage sampling was employed to obtain a representative sample of the indigenous population residing in villages in four Brazilian regions (North, Northeast, Central-West, and Southeast/South). Initially, a stratified probabilistic sampling was carried out for indigenous villages located in these regions. Households in sampled villages were selected by census or systematic sampling depending on the village population. The survey evaluated the health and nutritional status of children < 5 years, in addition to interviewing mothers or caretakers. RESULTS: Height and weight measurements were taken of 6,050 and 6,075 children, respectively. Prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting were 25.7%, 5.9%, and 1.3%, respectively. Even after controlling for confounding, the prevalence rates of underweight and stunting were higher among children in the North region, in low socioeconomic status households, in households with poorer sanitary conditions, with anemic mothers, with low birthweight, and who were hospitalized during the prior 6 months. A protective effect of breastfeeding for underweight was observed for children under 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated rate of stunting observed in indigenous children approximates that of non-indigenous Brazilians four decades ago, before major health reforms greatly reduced its occurrence nationwide. Prevalence rates of undernutrition were associated with socioeconomic variables including income, household goods, schooling, and access to sanitation services, among other variables. Providing important baseline data for future comparison, these findings further suggest the relevance of social, economic, and environmental factors at different scales (local, regional, and national) for the nutritional status of indigenous peoples.

Prevalence of anemia and associated factors among indigenous children in Brazil: results from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency globally, affecting about a quarter of the world population. In Brazil, about one-fifth of children under five years of age are anemic. Previous case studies indicate prevalence rates much higher among indigenous peoples in the country. The First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil, conducted in 2008-2009, was the first survey based on a nationwide representative sample to study the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among indigenous children in Brazil. METHODS: The survey assessed the health and nutritional status of indigenous children < 5 years of age based on a representative sample of major Brazilian geopolitical regions. A stratified probabilistic sampling was carried out for indigenous villages. Within villages, children < 5 years of age in sampled households were included in the study. Prevalence rates of anemia were calculated for independent variables and hierarchical multivariate analysis were conducted to assess associations. RESULTS: Evaluation of hemoglobin levels was conducted for 5,397 children (88.1% of the total sample). The overall prevalence of anemia was 51.2%. Higher risk of presenting anemia was documented for boys, lower maternal schooling, lower household socioeconomic status, poorer sanitary conditions, presence of maternal anemia, and anthropometric deficits. Regional differences were observed, with the highest rate being observed in the North. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rates of anemia in indigenous children were approximately double than those reported for non-indigenous Brazilian children in the same age group. Similarly notable differences in the occurrence of anemia in indigenous and non-indigenous children have been reported for other countries. Deeper knowledge about the etiology of anemia in indigenous children in Brazil is essential to its proper treatment and prevention.

The First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil: rationale, methodology, and overview of results.

BACKGROUND: Although case studies indicate that indigenous peoples in Brazil often suffer from higher morbidity and mortality rates than the national population, they were not included systematically in any previous national health survey. Reported here for the first time, the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil was conducted in 2008-2009 to obtain baseline information based on a nationwide representative sample. This paper presents the study's rationale, design and methods, and selected results. METHODS: The survey sought to characterize nutritional status and other health measures in indigenous children less than 5 years of age and indigenous women from 14 to 49 years of age on the basis of a survey employing a representative probabilistic sample of the indigenous population residing in villages in Brazil, according to four major regions (North, Northeast, Central-West, and South/Southeast). Interviews, clinical measurements, and secondary data collection in the field addressed the major topics: nutritional status, prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in women, child hospitalization, prevalence of tuberculosis and malaria in women, access to health services and programs, and characteristics of the domestic economy and diet. RESULTS: The study obtained data for 113 villages (91.9% of the planned sample), 5,305 households (93.5%), 6,692 women (101.3%), and 6,128 children (93.1%). Multiple household variables followed a pattern of greater economic autonomy and lower socioeconomic status in the North as compared to other regions. For non-pregnant women, elevated prevalence rates were encountered for overweight (30.3%), obesity (15.8%), anemia (32.7%), and hypertension (13.2%). Among children, elevated prevalence rates were observed for height-for-age deficit (25.7%), anemia (51.2%), hospitalizations during the prior 12 months (19.3%), and diarrhea during the prior week (23.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical-epidemiological parameters evaluated for indigenous women point to the accentuated occurrence of nutrition transition in all regions of Brazil. Many outcomes also reflected a pattern whereby indigenous women's and children's health indicators were worse than those documented for the national Brazilian population, with important regional variations. Observed disparities in health indicators underscore that basic healthcare and sanitation services are not yet as widely available in Brazil's indigenous communities as they are in the rest of the country.

Nutritional status and growth of indigenous Xavante children, Central Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to characterize the nutritional status of Xavante Indian children less than 10 years of age in Central Brazil and to evaluate the hypothesis of an association between child nutrition and socioeconomic differentiation in this population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2006 that included all children under the age of 10 from the Xavante village Pimentel Barbosa in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The data collected included weight, height, and sociodemographic information. Sociodemographic data were used to generate two indices ("income" and "wealth") and to determine the proportion of adults in each household. Descriptive analyses were performed for weight-for-age (W/A), height-for-age (H/A), and weight-for-height (W/H) using the NCHS and the WHO growth references. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using H/A and W/A as a response variables. RESULTS: Of a total of 246 children under the age of ten residing in the village, 232 (94.3%) were evaluated. Following the NCHS reference, 5.6% of children under the age of ten presented low W/A and 14.7% presented low H/A. Among children under the age of five, deficit percentages for weight and height were 4.5% and 29.9%, respectively, following the WHO curves. Among children < 2 years of age, H/A index variability was found to be directly related to child's age and inversely related to the proportion of adults in the household. Maternal BMI was positively associated with growth for children from 2 to 4 years of age, explaining 11.5% of the z-score variability for the H/A index. For children 5 years of age and older, the wealth index and maternal height were positively associated with H/A. No significant associations were found using W/A as the dependent variable. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that undernutrition, in particular linear growth deficit, is a notable health issue for Xavante children. These findings contrast with the nutritional profile observed among Brazilian children nationally, which is characterized by a sharp decline in child undernutrition in recent decades, even in the poorest regions of the country. This discrepancy calls attention to the persistent health disparities that exist between indigenous and non-indigenous people in Brazil.

A'uwe (Xavante) views of food security in a context of monetarization of an indigenous economy in Central Brazil.

Following boom-and-bust economic cycles provoked by Brazilian governmental attempts to integrate Indigenous peoples into national society, it is approximately since the beginning of the 2000s that Brazilian Indigenous peoples came to be viewed officially as "poor" and victims of "hunger." Consequently, the national indigenist agency and other State entities started to conceive and implement diverse initiatives that ultimately injected money and resources into Indigenous communities. In 2019 we undertook an ethnographic study in three A'uwe (Xavante) communities in the Pimentel Barbosa Indigenous Reserve, Central Brazil, with the objective of analyzing how people understand and pursue food security. We propose that in the studied communities the complex network of A'uwe food reciprocity is a fundamental strategy for mitigating hunger and acute lack of food. We show that among the A'uwe, the hybrid economy that developed since the 1970s has proved resilient to dramatic transformations and uncertainty in the availability and characteristics of external government inputs.

A'uwe (Xavante) Social Constructions of Well-Being in Central Brazil.

Well-being is a heterogeneous idea with inconsistent applicability to real-world circumstances. In this article, I explore A'uwe (Xavante) notions of social well-being from an ethnographic perspective. My data indicate many members of this Indigenous group understand wellness to involve not only health and harmony, but also certain modes of strife and inequality that are also viewed as desirable. A'uwe understandings of social wellness, including linkages to the environment, suggest that a broader and more locally contingent concept of social well-being than is evident in mainstream literature would benefit transcultural health efforts and policy involving Indigenous and other culturally distinct communities.

[Nutritional status and factors associated with stunting in children under five years of age in maroon communities in Northeast Brazil]. / Estado nutricional e fatores associados ao déficit estatural em crianças menores de cinco anos de comunidades remanescentes de quilombos do Nordeste brasileiro.

Quilombolas, or members of maroon communities in Brazil, are part of the country's ethnic/racial minorities exposed to health inequities, reflecting a historical process of harsh socioeconomic disadvantages. The study aimed to assess nutritional status and factors associated with stunting in quilombola children under five years of age living in land-deeded quilombola communities in Northeast Brazil. The study used secondary data from the Survey on Food and Nutritional Security in Land-Deeded Quilombola Communities (2011). The target outcomes were stunting (height-for-age < -2z), excess weight (weight-for-height > 2z), and underweight (weight-for-age < -2z). Chi-square test was used to assess the significance of differences between prevalence rates. Multivariate analysis used a hierarchical conceptual model on stunting. Prevalence rates for excess weight and underweight were 2.8% and 6,1%, respectively. Stunting was diagnosed in 14.1% of the sample. The hierarchical model for stunting evidenced higher prevalence rates among children without access to primary healthcare (PR = 1.63; 95%CI: 1.11; 2.41) and safe water (PR = 2.09; 95%CI: 1.42; 3.08) and those with a history of low birthweight (PR = 2.19; 95%CI: 1.33; 3.61). The high prevalence of stunting showed that the quilombola' population in the Northeast experiences unfavorable health condition, reflecting lack of access to primary healthcare and precarious sanitation.

Os quilombolas constituem parte das minorias étnico-raciais do país que apresentam iniquidades em saúde, reflexo de um processo histórico de grandes desvantagens socioeconômicas. O objetivo foi avaliar o estado nutricional e fatores associados ao déficit estatural em crianças quilombolas menores de cinco anos residentes em comunidades quilombolas tituladas na Região Nordeste do Brasil. Utilizaram-se dados secundários provenientes da Pesquisa de Avaliação da Situação de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional em Comunidades Quilombolas Tituladas (2011). Os desfechos de interesse foram o déficit estatural (estatura-para-idade < -2z), excesso de peso (peso-para-estatura > 2z) e o déficit ponderal (peso-para-idade < -2z). Foi empregado o teste qui-quadrado para avaliar a significância das diferenças entre as prevalências. A análise multivariada considerou um modelo conceitual hierárquico sobre o déficit estatural. As prevalências de excesso de peso e déficit ponderal foram 2,8% e 6,1%, respectivamente. O déficit estatural foi diagnosticado em 14,1% da amostra. O modelo hierárquico de déficit estatural evidenciou maiores prevalências do agravo entre crianças que não tinham acesso à atenção básica (RP = 1,63; IC95%: 1,11; 2,41), à água tratada (RP = 2,09; IC95%: 1,42; 3,08) e que nasceram com baixo peso (RP = 2,19; IC95%: 1,33; 3,61). A elevada prevalência de déficit estatural mostra que a população quilombola no Nordeste apresenta condições de saúde desfavoráveis, sendo reflexo da falta de acesso à atenção básica e das precárias condições de saneamento.

Los quilombolas constituyen parte de las minorías étnico-raciales del país que presentan inequidades en salud, reflejo de un proceso histórico que implicó grandes desigualdades socioeconómicas. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el estado nutricional y los factores asociados con el déficit de estatura en niños quilombolas, menores de 5 años, residentes en comunidades quilombolas, ubicadas en la Región Nordeste del Brasil. Se utilizaron datos secundarios provenientes de la Pesquisa de Avaliação da Situação de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional em Comunidades Quilombolas Tituladas (2011). Los resultados de interés fueron: déficit de estatura (estatura-para-edad < -2z), exceso de peso (peso-para-estatura > 2z) y insuficiencia ponderal (peso-para-edad < -2z). Se empleó la prueba chi-cuadrado para evaluar la significancia de las diferencias entre las prevalencias. El análisis multivariado consideró un modelo conceptual jerárquico sobre la insuficiencia de estatura. Las prevalencias de exceso de peso y déficit ponderal fueron 2,8%, 6,1%, respectivamente. El déficit de estatura fue diagnosticado en un 14,1% de la muestra. El modelo jerárquico de déficit de estatura evidenció mayores prevalencias de enfermedades entre niños que no tenían acceso a la atención básica (RP = 1,63; IC95%: 1,11; 2,41), al agua tratada (RP = 2,09; IC95%: 1,42; 3,08) y que nacieron con bajo peso (RP = 2,19; IC95%: 1,33; 3,61). La elevada prevalencia de déficit de estatura muestra que la población quilombola en el Nordeste presenta condiciones de salud desfavorables, siendo reflejo de la falta de acceso a la atención básica en salud y de las precarias condiciones de saneamiento.

Coping with Hypertension among Indigenous Peoples in Brazil and the Role of the Primary Care Nurse: A Critical Review from a Transcultural Perspective.

Our objective is to critically review the literature addressing the strategic role of nurses in the daily primary care of arterial hypertension in Indigenous communities in Brazil. We selected studies based on an initial keyword search of major bibliographic indexing databases for the years 2000 to 2020 and manual search. Further selection was based on topical, methodological, and thematic relevance, as well as evaluation of scholarship quality and pertinence to our chosen narrative. The literature demonstrates Indigenous peoples do not receive health services that measure up to national standards in large part due to a marked lack of academic and employer preparation for nurses operating in transcultural settings. Inequities were apparent in recurrent reports of victim-blaming, deficient clinical communication with patients, clinical malpractice, devaluation of hypertension as a problem for Indigenous peoples, insufficient intercultural training for nurses, and discrimination against Indigenous students in nursing education programs. This systemic problem needs to be addressed by universities and the Indigenous Health Care Subsystem in Brazil.

Birth weight of indigenous children in Brazil: results of the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition.

Birth weight is an important predictor of perinatal, infant, and preschool-age children morbimortality. However, information about indigenous children's birth weight is still scarce. This study aimed to analyze the birth weight of indigenous children based on data from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition, Brazil (2008-2009). This is the first study to address indigenous children's birth weight based on a nationwide representative sample. Mean birth weights and the respective standard deviations were calculated according to geopolitical region, sex, type of birth, and birthplace. The chi-square test was used to analyze differences in proportions, and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests in means, considering sample design and data normality. We found no records on birth weight in the researched documents for 26.7% of the 6,128 sampled children. The mean birth weight for the 3,994 children included in the analyses was 3,201g (standard deviation - SD ± 18.6g), regardless of sex, type of birth, and birthplace. The prevalence of low birth weight was 7.6% (n = 302) and was significantly higher among girls. Boys presented significantly higher mean birth weight than girls, regardless of the geopolitical region. Low birth weight was slightly less frequent among indigenous children when compared to Brazilian children in general. Our study indicates the need to improve prenatal care and the quality of consultation records for indigenous women as a strategy to promote safe pregnancy and childbirth.

Indigenous migration patterns in Brazil based on the 2010 national demographic census: analysis and critical reflection.

Research in several Latin American countries points to violence, loss of traditional territories, and seeking education, health, and wage labor as key variables in triggering rural-urban migration among Indigenous people. This study presents an analysis of the migration patterns of Indigenous people in Brazil, compared to non-indigenous people, based on data from the most recent national census, conducted in 2010. Migration characteristics related to lifetime migration and recent migration were investigated by means of descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analyses. The findings pointed to complex mobility scenarios according to migrants' Indigenous status and geographical regions of origin and destination. Indigenous people living in urban areas presented high levels of mobility (approximately 50% lived in different municipalities from those where they were born), which were more pronounced than those of non-Indigenous people. Indigenous people living in rural areas presented the lowest levels of migration (approximately 90% residing in their municipality of birth). Statistical modeling confirmed the patterns observed in descriptive analysis, highlighting the marked mobility of Indigenous subjects in urban areas. We emphasize the limitations of using census data for characterizing Indigenous mobility profiles, although no other nationally representative data are available. The finding that the Indigenous population living in urban areas presents rates of migration higher than their non-Indigenous counterparts is particularly important for the planning and implementation of a broad range of public policies aimed at ethnic minorities in the country, including health, education, and housing initiatives.

Tuberculosis among the Xavante Indians of the Brazilian Amazon: an epidemiological and ethnographic assessment.

BACKGROUND: Despite broad availability of a national tuberculosis (TB) control program that has proved effective in Brazil, TB remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among indigenous peoples. AIM: We report the results of an interdisciplinary investigation of TB epidemiology, healthcare services, and ethnomedicine among the Xavante Indians of Central Brazil. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fieldwork components included clinical assessment of TB (479 subjects, 89.3% of the population = 1 year of age), analysis of medical health records, and ethnographic research. RESULTS: We found TB to constitute a major health risk, with moderately high annual risk of infection (0.94%), moderate prevalence of infection, high percentage of X-ray images suggestive of TB (14.2% in subjects > or = 10 years of age), and a relatively low percentage of individuals with reactive TB skin tests (16.6% of reactions > or = 10 mm) despite high BCG vaccine coverage. We also found a high rate of TB patients showing no evidence of prior infection. Ethnographic interviews show that Xavante and biomedical health perspectives are simultaneously divergent in their etiologies but pragmatically compatible. CONCLUSION: Ineffective diagnosis procedures compromise the efficacy of existing TB prevention efforts and threaten to undermine otherwise favorable institutional and cultural conditions.

Indigenous children and adolescent mortality inequity in Brazil: What can we learn from the 2010 National Demographic Census?

Indigenous peoples worldwide are highly disadvantaged compared to national baseline populations. Given historical challenges to accessing relevant data for Brazil, the present study innovates by using 2010 Brazilian National Demographic Census data to estimate mortality curves in Indigenous children and adolescents <20 years. The non-parametric smoothing approach TOPALS (tool for projecting age-specific rates using linear splines) was employed. Analyses included stratifications by sex, rural or urban residence, and geopolitical region. The mortality of children and adolescents classified as Indigenous was higher for all analyzed strata. Mortality of Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals in rural areas was higher than those in urban areas in almost all strata analyzed. Mortality levels in the Indigenous segment exceed those of children and adolescents classified as non-Indigenous in all four geopolitical regions, with few exceptions. This is the first study to compare mortality curves of children and adolescents in Brazil according to social variables based on national census data. More Indigenous children and adolescents die than their non-Indigenous counterparts, including those classified as black or brown, in both rural and urban residential settings. Indigenous children and adolescents are consistently at the most disadvantaged end of a marked gradient of ethnic-racial inequality in Brazil, independently of sex, age, and geopolitical region.

[Assessment of prenatal care for indigenous women in Brazil: findings from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition]. / Avaliação da atenção pré-natal ofertada às mulheres indígenas no Brasil: achados do Primeiro Inquérito Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição dos Povos Indígenas.

This study assesses prenatal care for indigenous women 14-49 years of age with children under five years of age in Brazil. The First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition assessed 3,967 women who met these criteria, of whom 41.3% in the North, 21.2% in the Central, 22.2% in the Northeast, and 15% in the South/Southeast. Prenatal care was offered to 3,437 (86.6%) of these women. The North of Brazil showed the highest proportion of indigenous women who did not receive prenatal care. Coverage was 90.4%, but only some 30% began prenatal care in the first trimester, and only 60% of the eligible women were vaccinated for diphtheria and tetanus. Only 16% of indigenous pregnant women had seven or more prenatal visits. Access to at least one clinical-obstetric consultation was found in 97% of the records, except for breast examination (63%). Laboratory test rates were low (blood glucose 53.6%, urinalysis 53%, complete blood count 56.9%, Pap smear 12.9%, syphilis test 57.6%, HIV serology 44.2%, hepatitis B 53.6%, rubella 21.4%, and toxoplasmosis 32.6%), as was prescription of ferrous sulfate (44.1%). As a whole, the proportion of orders for recommended laboratory tests was only 53%. The percentages of prenatal care procedures for indigenous women are lower than for non-indigenous Brazilian women as a whole, and are even lower than among women in regions with high social vulnerability and low healthcare coverage, like the Legal Amazonia and the Northeast. The results confirm the persistence of ethnic-racial inequalities that compromise the health and well-being of indigenous mothers.

Este estudo avalia a atenção pré-natal de mulheres indígenas com idades entre 14-49 anos, com filhos menores de 60 meses no Brasil. O Primeiro Inquérito Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição dos Povos Indígenas avaliou 3.967 mulheres que atendiam a tais requisitos, sendo 41,3% da Região Norte; 21,2% do Centro-oeste; 22,2% do Nordeste; e 15% do Sul/Sudeste. O pré-natal foi ofertado a 3.437 (86,6%) delas. A Região Norte registrou a maior proporção de mulheres que não fizeram pré-natal. A cobertura alcançada foi de 90,4%, mas somente cerca de 30% iniciaram o pré-natal no 1º trimestre e apenas 60% das elegíveis foram vacinadas contra difteria e tétano. Somente 16% das gestantes indígenas realizaram 7 ou mais consultas de pré-natal. Ter acesso a pelo menos um cuidado clínico-obstétrico foi observado em cerca de 97% dos registros, exceto exame de mamas (63%). Foi baixa a solicitação de exames (glicemia 53,6%, urina 53%, hemograma 56,9%, citologia oncótica 12,9%, teste de sífilis 57,6%, sorologia para HIV 44,2%, hepatite B 53,6%, rubéola 21,4% e toxoplasmose 32,6%) e prescrição de sulfato ferroso (44,1%). No conjunto, a proporção de solicitações de exames laboratoriais preconizados não ultrapassou 53%. Os percentuais de realização das ações do pré-natal das indígenas são mais baixos que os encontrados para mulheres não indígenas no conjunto do território nacional, e até mesmo para as residentes em regiões de elevada vulnerabilidade social e baixa cobertura assistencial como a Amazônia Legal e o Nordeste. Os resultados reafirmam a persistência de desigualdades étnico-raciais que comprometem a saúde e o bem-estar de mães indígenas.

Este estudio evalúa la atención prenatal a mujeres indígenas con edades comprendidas entre los 14-49 años, con hijos menores de 60 meses en Brasil. La Primera Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición de los Pueblos Indígenas evaluó a 3.967 mujeres que reunían tales requisitos, procediendo un 41,3% de la Región Norte; un 21,2% del Centro-oeste; un 22,2% del Nordeste; y un 15% del Sur/Sudeste. El servicio prenatal se le ofreció a 3.437 (86,6%) de ellas. La Región Norte registró la mayor proporción de mujeres que no realizaron el seguimiento prenatal. La cobertura alcanzada fue de un 90,4%, pero solamente cerca de un 30% comenzaron el seguimiento prenatal durante el primer trimestre y sólo un 60% de las elegibles fueron vacunadas contra la difteria y tétanos. Solamente un 16% de las gestantes indígenas realizaron 7 o más consultas de prenatal. Alrededor de un 97% de los registros se observó que tuvieron acceso a por lo menos un cuidado clínico-obstétrico, excepto el examen de mamas (63%). Fue baja la solicitud de exámenes (glucemia 53,6%, orina 53%, hemograma 56,9%, citología oncológica 12,9%, test de sífilis 57,6%, serología para VIH 44,2%, hepatitis B 53,6%, rubeola 21,4% y toxoplasmosis un 32,6%) y la prescripción de sulfato ferroso (44,1%). En conjunto, la proporción de solicitudes de exámenes de laboratorio previstos no sobrepasó el 53%. Los porcentajes de realización de acciones del seguimiento prenatal por parte de las indígenas son más bajos que los encontrados en mujeres no indígenas, en el conjunto del territorio nacional, y hasta incluso en comparación con las residentes en regiones de elevada vulnerabilidad social y baja cobertura asistencial como la Amazonia Legal y el Nordeste. Los resultados reafirman la persistencia de desigualdades étnico-raciales que comprometen la salud y el bienestar de las madres indígenas.