Living conditions, nutrition, and maternal and child health in the Baniwa Indigenous people, Northwest Amazon, Brazil.

Abstract

Epidemiological surveys by ethnic groups are scarce in Brazil. The health and nutrition conditions of indigenous peoples who face situations of social inequities and inequalities, negatively influence their health indicators. This study is the widest investigation on the subject ever carried out on the Baniwa ethnic group, one of the most numerous in the country. The survey aimed to analyze the living conditions and nutritional profile of children aged under 60 months and women aged 14 to 49 years of the Baniwa ethnic group, residing in the northwest region of the state of Amazonas, in the Indigenous Land of Alto Rio Negro, an area that serves as a border connecting Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. The results show a high prevalence of chronic malnutrition in 52.5% (95%CI 48.9-56.1) and anemia in 68.3% (95%CI 64-5-71.8) of children under 60 months, in addition to overweight in 26.3% (95%CI 18.4-27.0) and anemia in 52.3% (95%CI 43.6-53.6) of the women. The situations of food insecurity observed in this study are linked to poor income and sanitation conditions. The magnitude of these injuries expresses the low effectiveness of primary care actions offered by the health system, with a significant percentage of hospitalizations resulting from injuries sensitive to basic care at the primary care level.