[Mother-child health and nutrition of Kaiowá and Guaraní indigenous children, Caarapó Reserve, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil].
The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of indigenous children and to determine the conditions of mother-child health. A cross-sectional study was performed with a sample of 137 children from 0 to 59 months of age from Kaiowá and Guarani indigenous communities, Caarapó Reserve, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Interviews were carried out using a questionnaire covering the conditions of mother-child health. Nutritional evaluation was performed using anthropometric measurements (weight and height). Results showed that 19.7% of mothers had not undergone prenatal examination and 53.3% had home births. Malnutrition in children was 18.2% and 34.1% for the weight/age and height/age indexes, respectively. The proportion of children with malnutrition, when separated by sex, age and education level of the mother, did not show a significant statistical difference for both indexes. This study documented a high occurrence of infant malnutrition and a worrisome mother-child health situation.
Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. rpicoli@usp.br
Renata Palópoli
RP
Pícoli
Luana
L
Carandina
Dulce Lopes Barbosa
DL
Ribas
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires