Indigenous Population In Brazil Research Articles

HTLV in South America: Origins of a silent ancient human infection.

The description of the first human retrovirus, human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1), was soon associated with an aggressive lymphoma and a chronic inflammatory neurodegenerative disease. Later, other associated clinical manifestations were described, affecting diverse target organs in the human body and showing the enormous burden carried by the virus and the associated diseases. The epidemiology of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 showed that they were largely distributed around the world, although it is possible to locate geographical areas with pockets of low and very high prevalence and incidence. Aboriginal Australians and indigenous peoples of Brazil are examples of the large spread of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2, respectively. The epidemiological link of both situations is their occurrence among isolated, epidemiologically closed or semi-closed communities. The origin of the viruses in South America shows two different branches with distinct timing of entry. HTLV-1 made its probable entrance in a more recent route through the east coast of Brazil at the beginning of the slave trade from the African continent, starting in the 16th century and lasting for more than 350 years. HTLV-2 followed the ancient route of human migration from the Asian continent, crossing the Behring Strait and then splitting in South America as the population became separated by the Andes Mountains. By that time, HTLV-2c probably arose and became isolated among the indigenous populations in the Brazilian Amazon. The study of epidemiologically closed communities of indigenous populations in Brazil allowed tracing the most likely route of entry, the generation of a new molecular subtype (HTLV-2c), the elucidation of the vertical transmission of HTLV-2, the intrafamilial aggregation of cases and the escape and spread of the virus to other areas in Brazil and abroad. Despite the burden and impact of both viruses, they are maintained as silent infections among human populations because 1, health authorities in most South American countries in which national surveillance is poor have little interest in the disease, 2, the information is commonly lost as indigenous groups do not have specific policies for HTLV and other sexually transmitted infections, and 3, health access is not feasible or properly delivered.

Suicide and indigenous populations in Brazil: systematic reviewEl suicidio y los pueblos indígenas brasileños: revisión sistemática

RESUMOObjetivo.Descrever a frequência, as características e os fatores que contribuem para o suicídio em povos indígenas brasileiros.Método.Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura a partir das bases de dados PubMed, SciELO, PsycINFO e LILACS. Foram incluídos estudos de base populacional que enfocassem suicídio em populações indígenas no território brasileiro.Resultados.A busca identificou 111 artigos, dos quais nove preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Três estudos foram realizados na região Centro-Oeste, quatro na região Norte do Brasil e dois abordaram todas as regiões do Brasil. Três estudos citaram as etnias estudadas, totalizando sete etnias (Terena, Kadiweu, Guato, Ofaie-Xavante, Guarani, Guarani-Kaiowá e Guarani-Nandeva). Os estudos demonstraram maior taxa de mortalidade por suicídio em pessoas do sexo masculino, solteiros, com 4 a 11 anos de escolaridade, na faixa etária de 15 a 24 anos, no domicílio e nos finais de semana, tendo como principal método o enforcamento. Os principais fatores de risco para o suicídio foram pobreza, fatores históricos e culturais, baixos indicadores de bem estar, desintegração das famílias, vulnerabilidade social e falta de sentido de vida e futuro.Conclusões.Todos os estudos indicaram a necessidade de desenvolvimento de estratégias em conjunto com as comunidades, considerando sua cosmovisão e os aspectos sócio-histórico-culturais de cada etnia, para minimização dos fatores de risco e redução da taxa de suicídio.

COVID-19 and Brazilian Indigenous Populations.

.The newly discovered SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of COVID-19, including severe respiratory symptoms with an important lethality rate and high dissemination capacity. Considering the indigenous people of Brazil, it is feared that COVID-19 will spread to these communities, causing another stage of decimation. Despite advances in indigenous health care in the country, there are still many challenges due to the social vulnerability of this population, whose lands continue to be illegally exploited. Based on these considerations, this article discusses challenges in caring for the indigenous population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Social, demographic, and health policies history of indigenous peoples from the state of Acre, Brazil

The historical trajectory experienced by Brazilian Amerindians population lead to a complex social issues, which are expressed by a lack of health service access and socioeconomic disparities. Such reality is translated into a higher level of poverty, lower education level and worse health profile, as compared to non-indigenous counterparts. The current health policies for indigenous population in Brazil could not overcome the lack of specialized care access. thus, fragmented and unplanned health care still persist, with distortions in the process of social control. Therefore, increased morbidity and mortality rates, unequal health care access, lack of continuity of care, and administrative barriers are still frequent among Brazilian Amerindians. The indigenous peoples from the State of Acre, located in the Western Brazilian Amazon, reflects the situation of greater vulnerability among all the indigenous populations from the North Region of Brazil, sharing worse health outcomes as compared to the rest of the country. Thus, the purpose of this narrative review is to characterize the history of the Indian population in Brazil and the State of Acre, according to demographic, epidemiological and health policies.

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.

This article assesses the nutritional status of Indigenous women from 14 to 49 years of age in Brazil. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Индейское население Бразилии: вызовы президентства Жаира Болсонару

The article touches upon the relations between the indigenous population of Brazil and the Brazilian government. The author analyses the development of the movement for indigenous land rights in Brazil. The article also observes the clash of interests and agendas of different social and political actors on the issue of indigenous land rights. The particular aim of the article is to capture the position of President J.Bolsonaro and its influence on the continuing struggle of indigenous people to achieve land rights.

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

ObjectiveThe 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.MethodsThis 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.ResultsBaseline 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.ConclusionsOur 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.

Agricultural Frontiers, Health Care, and Population Size Impact the Recovery Patterns of Brazilian Indigenous Nations

After centuries of decline, the populations of indigenous nations in Brazil began to increase in the 1970s. Population Ecology theory predicts that population size affects the dynamics of three basic recovery patterns: intra-specific cooperation (a positive effect of population size); competition (a negative effect); and exponential growth (no effect of population size). We analyzed the dynamics and recent history of 25 Brazilian indigenous populations using a cross-sectional approach to understand how exogenous and cultural variables (e.g., deforestation, diet richness) interact with population levels. We found that population size, access to health care, the extent of indigenous territories, and degree of deforestation impact the recovery of indigenous population levels.

The identification of the Indigenous population in Brazil’s official statistics, with an emphasis on demographic censuses

The identification of the Indigenous population in Brazil’s official statistics, with an emphasis on demographic censuses

Cardiovascular risk factors with an emphasis on hypertension in the Mura Indians from Amazonia

BackgroundThe Brazilian indigenous population is currently undergoing a process of epidemiological transition regarding the occurrence of communicable diseases, malnutrition and non-communicable chronic diseases. Chronic non-infectious diseases are the most common causes of death worldwide, and hypertension is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors. Thus, the main objective of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, with an emphasis on hypertension, in the Mura Indians living in the municipality of Autazes in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 455 natives (57.8% women, 42.2 ± 16.7 years) selected by simple random sampling. Sociodemographic variables, habits and lifestyles, anthropometric data, fasting glycaemia and lipid profiles were evaluated. Blood pressure was measured with a validated automatic device. Values of p ≤ 0.05 were considered significant.ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension was 26.6%. The other cardiovascular risk factors were as follows: increased waist-hip ratio (85.1%); increased neck circumference (60.2%); increased waist circumference (48.6%); overweight (57.1%); physical inactivity (52.7%); use of alcoholic beverages (40.2%); high total cholesterol (27.5%); increased triglycerides (23.5%); smoking (20.4%); and diabetes mellitus (3.0%). In relation to non-hypertensive individuals, indigenous hypertensive individuals were (p ≤ 0.05) older and had a higher proportion of individuals living with partners and individuals who were retired, as well as a lower level of schooling and higher family income. The indigenous people living in urban areas had a higher prevalence of hypertension than did those living in rural areas. In relation to habits and lifestyles, hypertensive Indians had a lower prevalence of smoking, higher frequency of the use of animal fat during meal preparation, lower frequency of vegetable oil use and lower frequency of salt addition to already-prepared meals. An assessment of anthropometric variables and laboratory markers showed that the hypertensive indigenous individuals had higher values of body mass index, neck circumference, waist circumference, visceral fat, Conicity Index, and body fat than did the non-hypertensive individuals.ConclusionThe prevalence of hypertension and other important cardiovascular risk factors in the Mura Indians was high. This finding is probably due to the adoption of inappropriate habits and lifestyles.

Factors associated with TB in an indigenous population in Brazil: the effect of a cash transfer program.

ABSTRACTThe Mato Grosso do Sul State (MS) has the second-largest indigenous population and the highest incidence rates of TB among indigenous people in Brazil. However, little is known about the risk factors associated with active TB in indigenous people in the region, especially regarding socioeconomic factors. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of the Family Allowance Program (BFP) and of other predictors of active TB in a high-risk indigenous population in Brazil. We conducted a case-control study with incident TB cases matched by age and by village of residence (1:2 proportion) between March 2011 and December 2012. We used a conditional logistic regression for data analysis. A total of 153 cases and 306 controls were enrolled. The final model included the following risk factors: alcohol consumption (low-risk use OR=2.2; 95% CI 1.1-4.3; risky use OR=2.4; 95% CI 1.0-6.0; dependent/ damaging use OR=9.1; 95% CI 2.9-29.1); recent contact with a TB patient (OR=2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.5); and male sex (OR=1.9; 95% CI 1.1-3.2). BFP participation (OR=0.5; 95% CI 0.3-0.6) and BCG vaccination (OR=0.5; 95% CI 0.3-0.9) were found to be protective factors against TB. Although the BFP was not designed to target TB-affected households specifically, our findings reveal the importance of the BFP in preventing one of the most important infectious diseases among adults in indigenous villages in Brazil. This result is in line with the End-TB strategy, which identifies social protection, poverty alleviation and targeting other determinants of TB as key actions.

Dengue Fever and Aedes aegypti in indigenous Brazilians: seroprevalence, risk factors, knowledge and practices.

Dengue remains an important public health problem in Brazil. We estimated the associated factors of dengue seroprevalence among native Indians of the Tremembé ethnic and their knowledge about the aspects related to the presence of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. An analytical cross-sectional study and a prospective environmental study to monitor the trapping of mosquito eggs monthly were performed. The serological portion of the study involved indigenous people living in the village of Tapera in northeastern Brazil. Ovitraps were monitored for 12 months. Two hundred and ninety of 350 indigenous people (82.9%) participated in the study, with an average age of 30.2 years. The seroprevalence was 22.1% and positivity increased with age, with rates of 4.2% in children under 15 years of age, 26.8% in 15 to 59-year-olds and 42.3% in those older than 59 (CI: 2.25-15.96; P < 0.001). A higher incidence of moving to the city and the presence of underlying diseases were associated with the occurrence of dengue (P < 0.001). Four serotypes were detected, with the highest prevalence of DENV-1 (77.8%), followed by DENV-2 (70.4%), DENV-3 (14.8%) and DENV-4 (11.1%). Eggs were collected in all months of the year and in the traps located in the vicinities of the domiciles (57%). We present the first seroepidemiological survey of dengue conducted among indigenous populations in Brazil. This lack of studies is likely due to the great bureaucratic challenge of working with indigenous populations, which may lead to greater negligence in the health of these populations.

Caries prevalence among Brazilian indigenous population of urban areas based on the 2010 National Oral Health Survey.

It is important to have an epidemiological understanding of oral diseases among indigenous persons, in order to contribute with the organization of health services for these populations. The SB Brasil 2010 database was used to compare the prevalence of dental caries among 308 self-identified indigenous and 37,211 non-indigenous individuals from urban areas, in the following age/age-groups: 5, 12, 15-19, 35-44, 65-74. The study also analyzed the effect of the complex sample design and the sample weight in the outcomes. Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon Scores (Rank Sums), logistic and multiple linear regressions were used for statistical analysis. The mean dmft index for indigenous and non-indigenous children aged five were 4.02 ± 4.01 and 2.41 ± 3.35, respectively, and 46% of non-native and 30.8% of native children were caries-free. The mean DMFT for indigenous and non-indigenous were 10.90 ± 11.69 and 10.93 ± 11.58, respectively, for all age groups when not taking into account the sample weight effect. When considering the complex sample design and the sample weight effect, the study found a statistical significant difference. The results lend credence to suspicions that in Brazil there are disparities in the patterns of caries between self-identified indigenous and non-indigenous individuals.

Cardiovascular Risk in Xavante Indigenous Population

BackgroundThe prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is little known in Brazilian indigenous populations. In the last two decades, important changes have occurred in the lifestyle and epidemiological profile of the Xavante people.Objectiveto assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Xavante adults in São Marcos and Sangradouro/Volta Grande reserves, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.MethodsCross-sectional study carried out with 925 Xavante people aged ≥ 20 years between 2008 and 2012. The following indicators were assessed: triglycerides (TG), total, LDL and HDL-cholesterol, Castelli index I and II, TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio, apo B / Apo A1 ratio, Framingham risk score, C-reactive protein, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hypertriglyceridemic waist (HW), glycemia and blood pressure. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Student's t test and Chi-square test (χ2) were used for statistical analysis, and significance level was set at 5%.ResultsHigh prevalence of elevated cardiovascular risk was observed in men and women according to HDL-cholesterol (66.2% and 86.2%, respectively), TG (53.2% and 51.5%), TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio (60.0% and 49.1%), C-reactive protein (44.1% and 48.1%), BMI (81.3% and 81.7%), WC (59.1% and 96.2%), HW (38.0% and 50,6%) and glycemia (46.8% and 70.2%). Individuals aged 40 to 59 years had the highest cardiovascular risk.ConclusionsThe Xavante have a high cardiovascular risk according to several indicators evaluated. The present analysis of cardiovascular risk factors provides support for the development of preventive measures and early treatment, in attempt to minimize the impact of cardiovascular diseases on this population.

Mammographic density among indigenous women in forested areas in the state of Amapá, Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

There is no register of breast cancer cases among indigenous populations in Brazil. The objective here was to evaluate the association of clinical and demographic characteristics with mammographic density among indigenous women. Cross-sectional analytical study conducted in indigenous territories in the state of Amapá, Brazil. Women were recruited from three indigenous territories and underwent bilateral mammography and blood collection for hormonal analysis. They were interviewed with the aid of an interpreter. Mammographic density was calculated using computer assistance, and was expressed as dense or non-dense. A total of 137 indigenous women were included in this study, with an average age of 50.4 years, and an average age at the menarche of 12.8 years. Half (50.3%) of the 137 participants had not reached the menopause at the time of this study. The women had had an average of 8.7 children, and only two had never breastfed. The average body mass index of the population as a whole was 25.1 kg/m2. The mammographic evaluation showed that 82% of women had non-dense breasts. The clinical characteristics associated with mammographic density were age (P = 0.0001), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (P < 0.001) and estrogen levels (P < 0.01). The majority of the indigenous women had non-dense breasts. Age, menopausal status and FSH and estrogen levels were associated with mammographic density.

A EDUCAÇÃO ESCOLAR INDÍGENA NO BRASIL: UMA ANÁLISE CRÍTICA A PARTIR DA CONJUNTURA DOS 20 ANOS DE LDB

This article aims at causing a reflection on the trajectory of Indigenous school Education in Brazil, taking as point of departure the twenty years of the Law of Directives and Bases for National Education (Portuguese: Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educacao Nacional ), Law 9394/96, as well as both backward and forward steps that took place during such historical period. Resulted from a process of organization and struggles of indigenous peoples and social movements, Indigenous School Education has been built from a tough dialectical process, which involved the Brazilian indigenous population, social movements and educational institutions along with the participation of scholars and researchers, majored in indigenous issues. Thanks to the involvement of all these social actors, conquests have taken place during these twenty years. Nevertheless, backward steps have also been present in the core of the transformations occurred in the mentioned time. Therefore, in this article, we intend to contribute to the national debate concerning the indigenous issues, pointing out the elements that contributed and/or impaired the process of consolidation of the Indigenous school educational policy in Brazil.

A questão indígena brasileira: Entre Jean-Jacques Rousseau e Auguste Comte

From a population esteemed at 5 to 6 million people in the sixteenth century to hundreds of thousands today, Brazilian indigenous population is confined in what is called Indigenous Landmarks (TI). Despite the numerically small population, this group occupies territories in where several natural resources have been identified and, even though the access to these resources is important for national development, it is being hampered as they are located in those lands. In addition, an large extend of TI is located on the border range, with the existence of an indigenous group occupying territories of two different countries at the same time, what may eventually mean a threat to national sovereignty. Moreover, the identification of foreign interests for Amazonia territories and natural resources in TI, threatens the protection of national interests. As it is ethically illegitimate deny indigenous rights to live according to their ancient customs - which requires land to hunt, collect and move - it is also unrealistic to consider that national development can dispense with access to the natural resources in TI. Thus, it is urgent that the Brazilian government reconsiders the treatment given to the indigenous people issues. A necessary step is to increase the awareness by the main actors involved - Brazilian anthropologists and Armed Forces - about the ideological foundations of the theme, reevaluating them and, when necessary, overcoming them. And these fundaments can be found in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's and Auguste Comte's work.

A questão indígena brasileira: Entre Jean-Jacques Rousseau e Auguste Comte

From a population esteemed at 5 to 6 million people in the sixteenth century to hundreds of thousands today, Brazilian indigenous population is confined in what is called Indigenous Landmarks (TI). Despite the numerically small population, this group occupies territories in where several natural resources have been identified and, even though the access to these resources is important for national development, it is being hampered as they are located in those lands. In addition, an large extend of TI is located on the border range, with the existence of an indigenous group occupying territories of two different countries at the same time, what may eventually mean a threat to national sovereignty. Moreover, the identification of foreign interests for Amazonia territories and natural resources in TI, threatens the protection of national interests. As it is ethically illegitimate deny indigenous rights to live according to their ancient customs - which requires land to hunt, collect and move - it is also unrealistic to consider that national development can dispense with access to the natural resources in TI. Thus, it is urgent that the Brazilian government reconsiders the treatment given to the indigenous people issues. A necessary step is to increase the awareness by the main actors involved - Brazilian anthropologists and Armed Forces - about the ideological foundations of the theme, reevaluating them and, when necessary, overcoming them. And these fundaments can be found in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's and Auguste Comte's work.

Teleconsultation on Skin Diseases: The Challenge of Providing Health Care to Isolated Populations in the Amazon Rainforest

This observational study was carried out in the state of Amazonas (Brazil), a huge and remote Rainforest area with only 2.2 inhabitants per square kilometer. This isolation is due to both geographical setting and ethnic-cultural barriers, with the indigenous population representing around 4% (20% of the entire indigenous population of Brazil, 60 ethnic groups and more than 40 languages). The lack of dermatology specialists encourages the few Primary Health Care Doctors (PCD) to apply for asynchronous support on skin disease occurrences through the portal of the Manaus-based Telemedicine and Telehealth Centre (TTC). Subsequently, the TTC counsels the PCD at a distance through his dermatologist-consultants (DC). The performance of such a teleconsultation system was audited by a TTC independent board of experts. They reviewed a 24 months continuous case series by focusing on the quality of PCD applications and DC counseling. The quality of anamnesis, description of physical signs and attached clinical documentation by the PCD was satisfactory in only 56/100, 44/100 and 53/100, respectively. A significantly negative trend (p<0.05) from the first to the second year was also observed. However, the PCD prompted presumptive diagnosis in 87/100, with a 72% of agreement with the DC’s final diagnosis. Indicators of good DC performance were: a) the response to the application within 72 h time occurring in 51/100, with a significantly improving trend (P<0.05); and b) the referrals to the health facilities of the capital of the state being recommended in only 13/100. Teleconsultation represents an opportunity for providing access to isolated populations and minorities. Although DC performance is improving, the high turnover of PCDs and the lack of training in e-health at the undergraduate level result in the poor quality of PCD applications. Thus, instruction in e-health tools should be added to the curriculum of the undergraduate program in medicine.

The Aranãs in mid-Jequitinhonha: socioeconomic, demographic and sanitary aspects of a landless indigenous population

The lack of epidemiological and environmental data on Brazilian indigenous populations is a challenge for the elaboration of public policy. This lack of data is more acute for "landless" indigenous groups. From this perspective, it was considered relevant to describe the Aranã, a landless indigenous group living in Minas Gerais, focusing on the demographic, socioeconomic and sanitary dimensions. A household survey was conducted. The data collected were analyzed and compared with those from other national ethnic groups. The results revealed similarities between these findings and those from the 2010 Census related to the native indigenous population, especially those not living on indigenous lands or reservations. Asymmetric results were identified within the households, mainly sanitary disparities, which suggested a relation with the location. This result indicates the need for priority intervention for the Aranã living in rural areas, bringing to light the age-old discussion about rural and urban disparities. In addition, we suggest that the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), responsible for the 2010 census, should refine its assessment methods concerning landless indigenous groups.