Demographics and health conditions of indigenous Pataxo women of 14-49.9 years old, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Aims: To describe demographics and health conditions and its association with nutritional status among indigenous Pataxo women, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methos: Cross-sectional study that evaluted 69 women (14-49.9 years old) from 5 Pataxo tribes. Health and demographics information was obtained through questionnaire based in the I National Health and Nutrition Survey of Indigenous People, Brazil. Anthropometric measurements of weight, height and waist circumference were taken according to World Health Organization protocols. Proportions were compared using Pearson chi-square test (P<0.05). Results:24.6% of the population were younger than 20 years and 57.1% had concluded at least 11 years of the Brazilian formal education. The majority of the women were married (68.1%), 72.5% got pregnant, and, among those, 47.8% got pregnant for the first time during adolescence. The mean (interquartile range) of number of children was 3 (1-5). Self reported use of medication for hypertension, diabetes mellitus and anemia were registered for 13%, 5,8% and 5,8% of the women, respectively. In relation to the women that got pregnant 4 or less times, the ones that got pregnant 5 or more times were more likely to be overweight (p=0.028). Married women, in relation to no married women, were more likely to present central obesity (p=0.009). Conclusions: Compared to the indigenous women of the national survey, Pataxo women were older, had similar number of children and higher percentage referred use of anti-hipertensive medications. The results of this study can subsidy local health public policies for the Pataxo women from Minas Gerais.