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

Overview of the Indigenous health of the Yanomami ethnic group in Brazil: A Public Health Emergency

INTRODUCTION

The Indigenous population of the Yanomami ethnic group in Brazil is currently facing a public health emergency due to the high number of deaths, mainly of children. Taking that into consideration, this study aims to analyze this crisis impact on the health of this population in the period between 2018 and 2022.

METHODS

The data presented were collected from the report called Yanomami Mission ("Missão Yanomami") published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and, from it, a descriptive analysis of the Indigenous individuals' health was carried out for (i) the geographical distribution; ii) the number of deaths; (iii) the child death rate; (iv) the deaths of Indigenous individuals from preventable causes; (v) the causes of preventable diseases related to hygiene and basic sanitation, and the distribution of diarrheal diseases according to age groups; (vi) evaluation of the nutritional classification; vii) the percentage (%) of the complete vaccination scheme, and (viii) the coverage of prenatal appointments of Indigenous pregnant women.

RESULTS

The report included 31,017 individuals belonging to the Yanomami ethnic group, most of the participants were up to 39 years old (N = 26,377; 85.0%) and men (N = 15,836; 51.1%). During the period described in the report, the number of deaths reached 1285/31,017 (4.1%). When analyzing the deaths, the most representative age groups were those of children under 1 year old (505/1285; 39.9%), from 1 to 4 years old (178/1285; 13.8%), and the elderly from 60 to 79 years old (150/1285; 11.6%). The Indigenous individuals from this ethnic group presented a child death rate ~ 1.5 to 3.5 higher than that of the total Indigenous population in the country. Regarding the child death rate, the neonatal component represented 57.8% of the deaths and, in 2022, 93.0% of the pregnant women had less than six prenatal appointments. This population shows a high number of deaths due to preventable causes (N = 538) and cases of illnesses associated with hygiene and sanitation, for example (N = 35,103 cases/notifications). As for vaccination, the full vaccination scheme targeting children below 5 years old has not been met since 2018.

CONCLUSION

In the Indigenous population of the Yanomami ethnic group, a high number of deaths was observed, which affected mainly individuals under 1 year old. Among the factors associated with the deaths, mainly in children under 5 years old, most cases have preventable causes, which could be reduced by proper action promoting their health and preventing diseases.

Contextual Factors and Motor Skills in Indigenous Amazon Forest and Urban Indigenous Children

This study investigated the contextual factors, motor performance, and body mass index across indigenous land children, indigenous urban children, and non-indigenous urban children. A number of 153 children, both sexes (71 girls, 46.4%), from 8 to 10 years were assessed. The Test of Motor Gross Development-3 was utilized. Indigenous land children showed higher motor performance ( η 2 ρ = 0.37 and η 2 ρ = 0.19 locomotor and object control, respectively) than indigenous urban children (p < 0.03) and non-indigenous urban children (p < 0.01); Indigenous urban children showed higher motor performance than non-indigenous urban children (p < 0.01). Body mass index was similar across groups ( η 2 ρ = 0,02; p = 0.15). Motor performance of indigenous land children was explained by the contextual factors that lead to a more active lifestyle, unsupervised free time, and play outside. In urban areas, behavior was similar, and although indigenous urban children kept some play tradition, it was not strong enough to be a protective factor for the motor performance.

Covid-19 among the Brazilian Amazon indigenous people: factors associated with death

Abstract This case-control study paired by gender and age analyzes factors associated with the death of indigenous people from COVID-19 in the state of Amapá, Brazil. Data were collected from a public secondary database produced by the Amapá State Department of Health. Cases (n=29) were deaths of indigenous people from COVID-19 and controls were cures of the disease (n=87), recorded between April 2020 and January 2021. Data from individuals with active disease were excluded. Univariate analysis followed by multiple logistic regression were performed to study the independent variables associated with death. Most cases of death were women (51.7%), without comorbidities (62.1%), residing in cities of the Metropolitan Region of Macapá (RMM) (65.5%) and in urban areas (89.7%). Median age of the death group was 72 years (interquartile range=21.5). The final multiple model showed that indigenous individuals with cardiovascular comorbidity had a 4.01 times greater chance (95% confidence interval - 95% CI=1.05-15.36) of death by COVID-19 when compared with indigenous people without comorbidities. And that indigenous people residing in the RMM had a 2.90 times greater chance (95%CI = 1.10-7.67) of death when compared with indigenous residing in the countryside.

Disparities in Excess Mortality Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Brazilians in 2020: Measuring the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to estimate the number of excess deaths among Indigenous Peoples associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and to assess the disparities in excess mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Brazilians. A time series analysis of weekly mortality data including all deaths from January 2015 to December 2020 was conducted. The number of expected deaths for 2020 was estimated using an over-dispersed Poisson model that accounts for demographic changes, temporal trends, and seasonal effects in mortality. Weekly excess deaths were calculated as the difference between the number of observed deaths and the expected deaths. Regional differences in Indigenous mortality were investigated. A significant increase in Indigenous mortality was observed from April 1 to December 31, 2020. An estimated 1149 (95% CI 1018-1281) excess deaths was found among Indigenous Brazilians in 2020, representing a 34.8% increase from the expected deaths for this population. The overall increase in non-Indigenous mortality was 18.1%. The Indigenous population living in the Brazilian Amazon area was the earliest-affected Indigenous group, with one of the highest proportional increases in mortality. Disparities in excess mortality revealed a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 among Indigenous Brazilians compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Findings highlight the importance of implementing an effective emergency plan that addresses the increased vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples to COVID-19.

Covid-19 entre indígenas na Amazônia brasileira: fatores associados ao óbito

Resumo Este estudo objetiva analisar fatores associados ao óbito de indígenas pela covid-19 no estado do Amapá, Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo caso-controle emparelhado por sexo e idade, que utilizou um banco de dados secundários público, produzido pela Secretaria de Estado da Saúde do Amapá. Os casos (n=29) foram óbitos de indígenas pela covid-19 e os controles foram curas da doença (n=87), registrados entre abril de 2020 e janeiro de 2021. Dados de indivíduos com doença ativa foram excluídos da análise. Foram realizadas análises univariadas seguidas por regressão logística múltipla para estudo das variáveis independentes associadas ao desfecho de óbito. A maioria dos casos de óbito era do sexo feminino (51,7%), sem comorbidades (62,1%), residentes em municípios da Região Metropolitana de Macapá (RMM) (65,5%) e em área urbana (89,7%). A mediana das idades do grupo de óbitos foi de 72 anos (intervalo interquartil= 21,5). O modelo múltiplo final demonstrou que indígenas com comorbidade cardiovascular apresentaram chance 4,01 vezes (intervalo de confiança de 95% - IC 95%= 1,05-15,36) maior de óbito pela covid-19 quando comparados a indígenas sem comorbidades. E que indígenas residentes na RMM apresentaram chance 2,90 vezes (IC 95%= 1,10-7,67) maior de óbito quando comparados aos indígenas residentes no interior do estado Amapá.

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.

[Prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 according to socioeconomic and ethnic status in a nationwide Brazilian surveyPrevalência de anticorpos contra o SARS-CoV-2 de acordo com o status socioeconômico e étnico em uma pesquisa nacional no Brasil]

OBJECTIVES

To investigate socioeconomic and ethnic group inequalities in prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the 27 federative units of Brazil.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, three household surveys were carried out on May 14-21, June 4-7, and June 21-24, 2020 in 133 Brazilian urban areas. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 250 individuals in each city to undergo a rapid antibody test. Subjects answered a questionnaire on household assets, schooling and self-reported skin color/ethnicity using the standard Brazilian classification in five categories: white, black, brown, Asian or indigenous. Principal component analyses of assets was used to classify socioeconomic position into five wealth quintiles. Poisson regression was used for the analyses.

RESULTS

25 025 subjects were tested in the first, 31 165 in the second, and 33 207 in the third wave of the survey, with prevalence of positive results equal to 1.4%, 2.4%, and 2.9% respectively. Individuals in the poorest quintile were 2.16 times (95% confidence interval 1.86; 2.51) more likely to test positive than those in the wealthiest quintile, and those with 12 or more years of schooling had lower prevalence than subjects with less education. Indigenous individuals had 4.71 (3.65; 6.08) times higher prevalence than whites, as did those with black or brown skin color. Adjustment for region of the country reduced the prevalence ratios according to wealth, education and ethnicity, but results remained statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil shows steep class and ethnic gradients, with lowest risks among white, educated and wealthy individuals.

An Assessment of Health Outcomes and Methylmercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Women of Childbearing Age and Their Children under 2 Years Old

In line with the 1000-day initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 3, we present a cross-sectional analysis of maternal health, infant nutrition, and methylmercury exposure within hard-to-reach indigenous communities in the state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. We collected data from all women of childbearing age (i.e., 12-49) and their infants under two years old in three Munduruku communities (Sawré Muybu, Sawré Aboy, and Poxo Muybu) along the Tapajos River. We explored health outcomes through interviews, vaccine coverage and clinical assessment, and determined baseline hair methylmercury (H-Hg) levels. Hemoglobin, infant growth (Anthropometric Z scores) and neurodevelopment tests results were collected. We found that 62% of women of childbearing age exceeded the reference limit of 6.0 μg/g H-Hg (median = 7.115, IQR = 4.678), with the worst affected community (Sawré Aboy) registering an average H-Hg concentration of 12.67 μg/g. Half of infants aged under 24 months presented with anemia. Three of 16 (18.8%) infants presented H-Hg levels above 6.0 µg/g (median: 3.88; IQR = 3.05). Four of the 16 infants were found to be stunted and 38% of women overweight, evidencing possible nutritional transition. No infant presented with appropriate vaccination coverage for their age. These communities presented with an estimated Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of 86.7/1000 live births. The highest H-Hg level (19.6 µg/g) was recorded in an 11-month-old girl who was found to have gross motor delay and anemia. This already vulnerable indigenous Munduruku community presents with undernutrition and a high prevalence of chronic methylmercury exposure in women of childbearing age. This dual public health crisis in the context of wider health inequalities has the potential to compromise the development, health and survival of the developing fetus and infant in the first two critical years of life. We encourage culturally sensitive intervention and further research to focus efforts.

Non-communicable diseases, sociodemographic vulnerability and the risk of mortality in hospitalised children and adolescents with COVID-19 in Brazil: a cross-sectional observational study

OBJECTIVES

To analyse how previous comorbidities, ethnicity, regionality and socioeconomic development are associated with COVID-19 mortality in hospitalised children and adolescents.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational study using publicly available data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

SETTING

Nationwide.

PARTICIPANTS

5857 patients younger than 20 years old, all of them hospitalised with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, from 1 January 2020 to 7 December 2020.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

We used multilevel mixed-effects generalised linear models to study in-hospital mortality, stratifying the analysis by age, region of the country, presence of non-communicable diseases, ethnicity and socioeconomic development.

RESULTS

Individually, most of the included comorbidities were risk factors for mortality. Notably, asthma was a protective factor (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.67). Having more than one comorbidity increased almost tenfold the odds of death (OR 9.67, 95% CI 6.89 to 13.57). Compared with white children, Indigenous, Pardo (mixed) and East Asian had significantly higher odds of mortality (OR 5.83, 95% CI 2.43 to 14.02; OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.51; OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.02 to 8.71, respectively). We also found a regional influence (higher mortality in the North-OR 3.4, 95% CI 2.48 to 4.65) and a socioeconomic association (lower mortality among children from more socioeconomically developed municipalities-OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.38) CONCLUSIONS: Besides the association with comorbidities, we found ethnic, regional and socioeconomic factors shaping the mortality of children hospitalised with COVID-19 in Brazil. Our findings identify risk groups among children that should be prioritised for public health measures, such as vaccination.

Mortalidade proporcional nos povos indígenas no Brasil nos anos 2000, 2010 e 2018

RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a mortalidade indígena no Brasil em 2000, 2010 e 2018. Estudo descritivo com dados do Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade. Calculou-se a mortalidade proporcional entre indígenas e restante da população brasileira, segundo idade, sexo, causa e regiões do Brasil. A proporção de óbitos em indígenas menores de 1 ano em 2000, 2010 e 2018 foi de 15,3%, 17,7% e 16,2%; e no restante do Brasil, foi de 7,2%, 3,5% e 2,7% respectivamente. A proporção de óbitos a partir de 50 anos nos indígenas nos mesmos anos foi de 47,0%, 48,1% e 52,0%; e no restante do Brasil, foi de 66,8%, 74,4% e 79,4%. Em 2018, indígenas menores de 1 ano morreram mais de afecções perinatais (39,4%), doenças infecciosas e parasitárias (10,1%) e causas externas (9,8%). Em menores de 1 ano do restante da população brasileira, essas causas corresponderam a 57,8%, 3,8% e 2,8%. Indígenas acima de 50 anos morreram mais por doenças circulatórias (28,6%), respiratórias (15,4%) e neoplasias (14,6%); e no restante da população brasileira, essas causas representaram 31,5%, 13,6% e 19,0%. Evidenciaram-se desigualdades em saúde e piores indicadores nos povos indígenas no Brasil.

Health reform and Indigenous health policy in Brazil: contexts, actors and discourses

Given the challenges related to reducing socio-economic and health inequalities, building specific health system approaches for Indigenous peoples is critical. In Brazil, following constitutional reforms that led to the universalization of health care in the late 1980s, a specific health subsystem was created for Indigenous peoples in 1999. In this paper, we use a historical perspective to contextualize the creation of the Indigenous Health Subsystem in Brazil. This study is based on data from interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous subjects and document-based analysis. In the 1980s, during the post-dictatorship period in Brazil, the emergence of Indigenous movements in the country and the support for pro-Indigenous organizations helped establish a political agenda that emphasized a broad range of issues, including the right to a specific health policy. Indigenous leaders established alliances with participants of the Brazilian health reform movement, which resulted in broad debates about the specificities of Indigenous peoples, and the need for a specific health subsystem. We highlight three main points in our analysis: (1) the centrality of a holistic health perspective; (2) the emphasis on social participation; (3) the need for the reorganization of health care. These points proved to be convergent with the development of the Brazilian health reform and were expressed in documents of the Indigenist Missionary Council (CIMI) and the Union of Indigenous Nations (UNI). They were also consolidated in the final report of the First National Conference on the Protection of Indigenous Health in 1986, becoming the cornerstone of the national Indigenous health policy declared in 1999. Our analysis reveals that Indigenous people and pro-Indigenous groups were key players in the development of the Indigenous Health 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.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in Brazil: results from two successive nationwide serological household surveys

BACKGROUND

Population-based data on COVID-19 are essential for guiding policies. There are few such studies, particularly from low or middle-income countries. Brazil is currently a hotspot for COVID-19 globally. We aimed to investigate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody prevalence by city and according to sex, age, ethnicity group, and socioeconomic status, and compare seroprevalence estimates with official statistics on deaths and cases.

METHODS

In this repeated cross-sectional study, we did two seroprevalence surveys in 133 sentinel cities in all Brazilian states. We randomly selected households and randomly selected one individual from all household members. We excluded children younger than 1 year. Presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was assessed using a lateral flow point-of-care test, the WONDFO SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Test (Wondfo Biotech, Guangzhou, China), using two drops of blood from finger prick samples. This lateral-flow assay detects IgG and IgM isotypes that are specific to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain of the spike protein. Participants also answered short questionnaires on sociodemographic information (sex, age, education, ethnicity, household size, and household assets) and compliance with physical distancing measures.

FINDINGS

We included 25 025 participants in the first survey (May 14-21) and 31 165 in the second (June 4-7). For the 83 (62%) cities with sample sizes of more than 200 participants in both surveys, the pooled seroprevalence increased from 1·9% (95% CI 1·7-2·1) to 3·1% (2·8-3·4). City-level prevalence ranged from 0% to 25·4% in both surveys. 11 (69%) of 16 cities with prevalence above 2·0% in the first survey were located in a stretch along a 2000 km of the Amazon river in the northern region. In the second survey, we found 34 cities with prevalence above 2·0%, which included the same 11 Amazon cities plus 14 from the northeast region, where prevalence was increasing rapidly. Prevalence levels were lower in the south and centre-west, and intermediate in the southeast, where the highest level was found in Rio de Janeiro (7·5% [4·2-12·2]). In the second survey, prevalence was similar in men and women, but an increased prevalence was observed in participants aged 20-59 years and those living in crowded conditions (4·4% [3·5-5·6] for those living with households with six or more people). Prevalence among Indigenous people was 6·4% (4·1-9·4) compared with 1·4% (1·2-1·7) among White people. Prevalence in the poorest socioeconomic quintile was 3·7% (3·2-4·3) compared with 1·7% (1·4-2·2) in the wealthiest quintile.

INTERPRETATION

Antibody prevalence was highly heterogeneous by country region, with rapid initial escalation in Brazil's north and northeast. Prevalence is strongly associated with Indigenous ancestry and low socioeconomic status. These population subgroups are unlikely to be protected if the policy response to the pandemic by the national government continues to downplay scientific evidence.

FUNDING

Brazilian Ministry of Health, Instituto Serrapilheira, Brazilian Collective Health Association, and the JBS Fazer o Bem Faz Bem.

Prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 according to socioeconomic and ethnic status in a nationwide Brazilian survey

OBJECTIVES

To investigate socioeconomic and ethnic group inequalities in prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the 27 federative units of Brazil.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, three household surveys were carried out on May 14-21, June 4-7, and June 21-24, 2020 in 133 Brazilian urban areas. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 250 individuals in each city to undergo a rapid antibody test. Subjects answered a questionnaire on household assets, schooling and self-reported skin color/ethnicity using the standard Brazilian classification in five categories: white, black, brown, Asian or indigenous. Principal component analyses of assets was used to classify socioeconomic position into five wealth quintiles. Poisson regression was used for the analyses.

RESULTS

25 025 subjects were tested in the first, 31 165 in the second, and 33 207 in the third wave of the survey, with prevalence of positive results equal to 1.4%, 2.4%, and 2.9% respectively. Individuals in the poorest quintile were 2.16 times (95% confidence interval 1.86; 2.51) more likely to test positive than those in the wealthiest quintile, and those with 12 or more years of schooling had lower prevalence than subjects with less education. Indigenous individuals had 4.71 (3.65; 6.08) times higher prevalence than whites, as did those with black or brown skin color. Adjustment for region of the country reduced the prevalence ratios according to wealth, education and ethnicity, but results remained statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil shows steep class and ethnic gradients, with lowest risks among white, educated and wealthy individuals.